


Moonlight

by whisper_of_the_trees



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Crossover, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gelfling, Gelfling sex, Headcanon of Gelfling girl’s orgasm, M/M, Multi, Multiple Pairings, Original Character(s), Phisical and verbal aggression, Rebel Base, cursing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:53:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28267953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whisper_of_the_trees/pseuds/whisper_of_the_trees
Summary: What would happen if a Gelfling gets in a Rebel Alliance’s base? Probably, a lot of mischief with quite of awkward moments. Things seem pretty straightforward until, one day, on a mission, everything goes terribly wrong.If you like Gelfling, as much as you like Star Wars, you might fancy this story.Gelfling sex in chapter 5.
Comments: 1





	1. Time bomb of incompetence

Another world, another time…

Deep inside a nebula in a giant cloud of dust and gases a new star started its birthing. It was stubborn and inpatient and yearned to get the necessary mass and temperature. It struggled for many millions of years until its light could finally pass through the clouds surrounding it. The emitted particles traveled throughout various galaxies, causing some troubles with the communications on a few planets, until they reached a small world at the exact same moment when a tiny creature turned its sight to the night sky.

“Look, a new star is born!”, the Gelfling said to his wife and pointed towards the twinkling light, while gently hugged her by the waist. “There wasn’t anything between those three and the constellation and now it’s shining. We’ve witnessed the birth of a new star!”

“Yes, but...will we ever get to have a child of our own?” She turned back to the ground to gather her herbs again. He caressed her and soothed her in the most tender way he could. A certain unums later a child with an unusual appearance was born to them. It carried not only star particles, but wild and uncontrollable temper.

  
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away….

Chapter I

Time bomb of incompetence

Gelfling are not meant to travel in hyperspace, thought Ky’ron with annoy and moved across the pile of strangely shaped mechanical components. The other cargo was food and medical supplies, he was told. Although he had not been explained about all the freight. He was, after all, baggage too. Just like the other miserable souls betting their future on a pilot they met in a bar. The passengers were a mixture of species, an illustrative study of outgrowths, according to Ky’ron, and among them even a few Gelfling. On the dirty deck of the ship Ky’ron passed by a group of guys with tentacles, talking to each other, managed not to step on a sleeping person, only to stumble upon someone’s luggage and fall onto a large pile of cargo. He mumbled an apology for the commotion and stood at an illuminator to watch the blue flashing darts of the passing stars. His uneasy mind continued questioning, therefore he moved on with caution in his feet until he reached the pilot’s cabin.

“Come on over, Stonewood!”, a voice came from the open sliding door. The Gelfling pilot was alone in the command pit with one empty seat beside him. Ky’ron entered and his eyes stuck on the colorful trinkets, hanging around the illuminator and adorning the walls. In the emptiness of the cold space, trapped inside a dimension he could barely comprehend, a sincere surprise took over his glum thoughts. The various amulets, talismans and charms, carved from wood or stone, shells and scales, braided from old sailcloth or wrapped in wire, brought him back to his travels with the Sifa. The sweetest memories of the most joyous time of his life came hand in hand with the most dreadful ones, though. The pilot’s voice invited him back to the present.

“Take a seat.”  
“What was your name, again?”, asked Ky’ron.

“I’m Vhied. Tell me, when did you left Thra?“

“It’s been some unums already. I couldn’t actually keep track. I had other occupations, such as, staying alive,” Ky’ron scoffed and his shaggy hair shook. “And how long have you been flying a starship?”

“It’s been a few trines by now. I left with the first mining ships,” he paused and his hand reached for a pendant, hanging under his shirt. “You know, we tried to flee in the sea, but one eventually has to set foot on land. And there were no safe ports left. The Garthim had reached the shore. Even the swamps of Sog weren’t safe anymore, I’m not sure about the caves of Grot, though.”

“Not safe. The Garthim invaded there too. I had already quit my training for a castle guard and was traveling, back when it all started. “

“A-ah...And how does one quit their training? Don’t you get, like, a letter from the Castle? Isn’t it obligatory?”

“‘Tis. I got a letter. My father was very happy, unlike me. I trained but...I didn’t get along with my captain.”

“Why?”

“I had difficulties keeping up with the discipline. The truth is, I got expelled. I didn’t minded, to be honest.”

Vhied grinned quietly in his hands. Ky’ron proceeded:

“I had better plans.”

“Hm?”

“I got on a Sifan ship.”

“What was a Stonewood seeking on a Sifan ship?”

Ky’ron smiled, “A girl.” His gaze was directed at the command board in front of him, but it was her image he beheld in his mind. After a silent hiatus, he continued:

“We traveled on one of your samaudren for several unums. Then came the news and we got back to the shore. I had to come back to Stone-in-the-wood to save my family, but I was late. The Garthim had already taken everyone. I joined the Resistance and it really seemed that we can make it, but...the Garthim were too many...I lost her...I lost everyone, every single family, friend and loved one, so...there was nothing there left for me...and I fled. I still wonder whether this was the right decision. I mean, to leave everyone else to die. There are still Gelfling there. Do you think the Alliance could help? Our whole kin is dying.”

“I don’t know. But sure is our best hope.”

“Have you met many Gelfling out here?”

“Not so many. After they escape the mining ships, they usually spread in the nearby worlds. But life isn’t easier there. Most of the Gelfling that leave Thra, never make it. That’s why when I meet a fellow, I always offer them to join the Rebels. To be safe and to have a purpose. Tell me, what were you doing on that forsaken planet? It’s a scoundrel’s den!“

“Well, this is how far I could end up on my own,” grinned Ky’ron, which spurred a giggle in Vhied. They stood silent for a while, musing. Low mechanical humming was combined with uneven snorting. The Stonewood spoke first:

“The All-maudra Seladon is dead, did you know?”

“No...that’s horrible...”

“Before I left, I heard that her little baby daughter has been safely hidden and remained alive. That never proved to be true, but still...”

A soft buzzer drew the pilot’s attention. He switched and turned something on the command board in front of him and Ky’ron saw how the blue darts around the ship fell shorter until becoming twinkling stars in the jet blackness. The ship changed its direction to a mesmerizing space view.

“Here we are. That’s Enduin.”

“Which one...exactly?”, Ky’ron was looking at a bluish-white planet with an asteroid belt, crossing diagonally and he managed to count four satellites of different sizes around it.

“The biggest one,” smiled Vhied.

The ship approached the planet and descended through the misty atmosphere just under the asteroids. Beneath the clouds a large circular shape was flickering in colorful sheen. A tower, taller than everything around it, was generating an energy shield, spread like an umbrella over a vast space of forests and meadows with a few buildings scattered in the area.

“The main purpose of the shield is to protect us from the asteroids,” explained Vhied. Ky’ron was watching over the iridescent sparkling of the shield when a bright flash, crossing the whitish atmosphere in the distance, caught his attention.

“They fall regularly. That’s why the planet is generally uninhabited and is considered useless which, you’ve guessed, is the reason it’s chosen for a rebel base.”

The ship landed at an open space near the largest structure. The wide opening in front of it allowed a peek of the different spacecraft, hosted inside. The passengers descended through a ramp, taking with each step a deep breath of moist air with a smell of grass. Connected to the hangar, stood a premises of three storeys, tucked with abundant vegetation. Behind the buildings was the pillar that generated the shield. An open meadow space lay in front of the entrance, covered in bumpy carpet of grass and moss. A soft buzzing noise surrounded the group, with a few distant voices, coming from undeterminable directions. The newcomers were wandering and observing around with no one to meet them when a murmuring, yet uneven mechanical sound from above and behind raised their heads. A smoking starfighter flew closely above them and landed nearby ahead on the small track in front of the hangar. It’s surface was punctured at multiple spots and crooked, with one engine burning, some covers missing, exposing its complex technology, throwing flashes. A bunch of guys in dirty overalls came from inside and engaged into extinguishing the fire and securing the circuits. The cockpit cover was blackened and bent, but it had maintained its integrity nonetheless. A creaking sound came, as it tried to open and stuck, leaving only a gap. Something peeped from inside, gray, oval and dirty, seeking passage out, and clung on the way. A dull, thumping beat, coming from inside the ship, matched the jerking motion of the object. All of a sudden, it launched in the air, flew a remarkable distance and crashed on the ground, rolling towards the group. A foot stopped it’s turning and a hand took it. As some were looking at the old helmet, others noticed a small figure pulling itself out from the opening, with the legs in the front. Its suit stuck, it wriggled to free itself, then slid on the hull and dropped down to the ground. A long braid of white hair fell afterwards. The figure turned and her beautiful Gelfling face looked around with uneasiness. Her eyes glanced at the ship, then passed through the pack of incomers, only to stick on the ground before her. She huffed a deep sigh and walked towards the base, stumbling, troubled by an oversized suit. Meanwhile, another fighter approached and landed, smooth and shiny. The pilot girl sat under the shelter of the building’s entrance and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. Her gentle face had delicate features and pale white skin. А light blood fall was crossing her forehead. Her bluish white hair was gathered in multiple intertwined braids. Some asked her if she was alright but she stayed silent and just nodded, her weary sight looking empty at the forest. She slipped off her space suit, mumbling how it deformed her wings and carefully, with graceful movements, began smoothing them. From the other fighter jumped a pilot, of an enormous bulk. He walked towards the building, while throwing his equipment around, grumbling and cursing at everything, but mostly at the girl pilot. Ky’ron had never seen such a creature before. Tall as nearly as a Skeksis, with horns and long ears, and a face, that carried a friendly air as much as a predator. The Gelfling girl was still minding her wings and when his rough guttural voice rumbled like a thunder, she shuddered and let a muffled moan. He growled at her face:

“What the fuck were you thinking? I told you specifically where to pass through. What came into you? Could you be more stupid and irresponsible?”

“I couldn’t pass, there were imperial fighters hiding, I had no choice…” she whispered quietly, but he didn’t pay attention. Instead continued shouting:

“You’re incapable of doing anything right and should never be trusted again ever!”

The audience around grew and followed the scene with live interest, but no one attempted to interfere. Ky’ron was shifting from one foot to another, his face frowned, a muscle in his jaw twitched, his eyes were fixed on the girl, while his hands were rolling the sleeves of his jacket. His fidgeting fingers were flaring out and then tightening into fists over and over again. He made a step ahead but Vhied, who was accompanying him, took him by the shoulder and pulled him back.

“Don’t!”

“Why?”

“Just stay here.”

The grumpy pilot continued:

“Your actions have consequences, d’you even think about that? Do you know how much this ship costs and how hard it is to get one? Who’s gonna steal parts for it now, did you consider that when attracted all those destroyer’s fire?”

There was no sign of fear or intimidation on the pretty pilot girl’s face, just discomfort from the loud noise and a trace of resentment.

Another Gelfling girl, beautiful as the first one, showed from the building and rushed to the injured one. She was carrying medical supplies and started cleaning the wound on the forehead. The two ladies locked sight and began whispering intensely to each other, exchanging short words, their silky voices chiming barely perceivable. Yet Ky’ron caught that they were speaking Gelfling and not Basic.

In a short time, the infuriated pilot noticed he was being ignored and let a fierce groan. He balled his fists, clenched his jaw and huffed a sight, his eyes closed tight. His heavy breathing intensified. With a sharp and rough movement he took her chin and turned her head to face him:

“Look at me when I speak to you!”, he yelled at her so loud she closed her eyes for a second, shrunk her body and her ears flattened to her head.

Ky’ron lunged ahead and positioned himself near the big pilot, with his fists on the hips and his head slightly tilted.  
“Hey, big guy?” with deep and fairly husky voice followed.

Stunned sights clung at him. A gasp and a hum passed through the crowd, along with some whispering. Two worried blue eyes also focused on him. The tough guy slowly turned towards him, while still holding the girl’s face in his giant palm:

“You have a problem?”

“Definitely”, emphasized Ky’ron and his lips curved into a smirk. Hardly having said that and Vhied had already placed himself in front of him, forbidding him to move forward and persuading the pilot at the same time:

“No, Tibor, we’re fine.” Without waiting for response, he turned to Ky’ron and pushed him with haste back to the group. He fussed in his ear:

“Stay put, you’ll get me in trouble! Don’t get into fight the first day you came! I have given my word to bring here only quality people.”

Ky’ron gave a lopsided grin and locked eyes with his companion.

“And why would you lie them like that?” Vhied shrugged and let slip a small smile.

“Food and shelter, I guess.”

Another howl of insults brought their sights back to the unequal dispute.

“She’ll be fine”, uttered Vhied with guilt in his voice.

So that’s the bully no one is daring to oppose, thought Ky’ron, crossed his arms and moved away his sight.

The big guy was still flooding with accusations, when he noticed from the other building someone walked out and headed towards them in a slow but steady pace. The angry pilot immediately closed his mouth, but took the moment he had to near the Gelfling girl and hiss to her face:

“You’re just a time bomb of incompetence!” then he stepped aside and waited.

Ky’ron leaned towards his companion and mumbled:

“Explain me again, why aren’t we kicking this smartass’s butt?”

“Because we’re intelligent and don’t use violence?”

“I’m not that intelligent.”

“Neither am I, but he’ll smash us like shrumpins.”

“Smashing will occur, the stricken is to be determined.”

“No, really, you don’t want that trouble, believe me.”

“And why is he so pissed off anyway? She broke his plane, big deal!”

“Star fighter, and it’s not just about it.” Vhied paused and sighed, “It’s a little more complicated than that. It’s because she doesn’t want to be with him.”

“Not surprising if he treats her this way.”

“He wasn’t always like that. Some time ago, he did put a lot of effort romancing her, but with no success whatsoever.”

“That’s no excuse for such a behavior!”

“You don’t need an excuse if you’re the best pilot in the base.”

A short humanoid figure, senior and chubby, dressed in Alliance’s uniform arrived. Some greeted him with “General Kedial”, to which he answer with a nod. He had distinctive gils on his face. First he turned to the girl:

“Are you alright, Eleya?”

“Yes...And, I’m sorry. I failed. I couldn’t even land so I didn’t get anything, I...,” he interrupted her and put his hand on her shoulder:

“It’s ok. The most important is that you’re unharmed. We’ll try another time.”

At this moment the ill tempered pilot took the word:

“She’s unqualified and incapable, she cannot complete that mission.”

“We’re aware of your opinion, Tibor.” The general’s hand still stood on her shoulder, gently rubbing it. To conclude this conversation, he addressed them both: “Get rest now. Tomorrow, we’ll have another plan.”

Then he walked to greet the new recruits. Some of the guys told their stories. Ky’ron opened the subject of the Rebel Alliance interfering and stoping the genocide happening on his home planet, but received a vague answer. After a brief discussion, concerning the course of the Rebellion, the general left them with the ground crew, who was to arrange their stay.

Tibor headed to the hangar, muttering curses, the two girls headed to a side entrance and passed before the newcomers. Gazes followed them, along with some comments.

“So what’s the story with that Eleya?”, asked Ky’ron to his pilot pal.

“The princess, that’s how they call her. It stuck around and has already affirmed as her Rebel name.” Vhied chuckled, “She hates it by the way. Personally, I prefer ‘Ice whiff of Ha’rar’, although ‘Beautiful trouble’ and ‘Lady Mischief’ are also frequently used. But I’ll let you discover all her aliases by yourself.”

Ky’ron smiled: “So what, you don’t have anything better to do then harass the poor girl?”  
Vhied scoffed and shook his head, “We’ll talk again in a unum”.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not into Vapran girls, but what I just saw, ain’t no way to treat a fine woman like her. And why do they call her princess?”  
“Well, didn’t you see her? She’s cold and aloof just like the mountains she’s coming from.” They locked sight and grinned. Ky’ron’s ears perked up as a low tinkling sound flew with the gust of moist air. Like a rustling of glass leaves. He checked out around and saw nothing that could emit this soft jingle. With query on his mind he gazed at Vhied, who continued just the same, regardless the sound, as he never heard it, or chose to not pay attention to it:

“Anyway, she’s not that useless as Tibor presented her. She somehow manages to be of service among all the trouble she brings. You know, there are very few good Gelfling pilots and... she’s not one of them. She can fly the starfighter just enough so she doesn’t hit other space objects and she has no concept of astrophysics whatsoever. Personally, I have no idea why she gets to fly. I’m pretty sure she gets missions because she has wings.”

“What missions?”  
“Gathering intel on Imperial plans, technical readout, updates on the starcraft, reports, lists, coordinates, communication logs, anything.“

“Gelfling, please.”  
“Stealing information from the Empire and its allies. She’s good at sneaking and smuggling. They send her to infiltrate in an Imperial facility and extract information. But, as a girl, she can be easily smashed like a bug and a blaster shot can kill her, so she’s always assigned with a bodyguard.”  
“A dumb jock?”, smiled Ky’ron.

“Yes, and she’s not very precise with guns, so she needs a shooter, both in space and on the ground.”  
Ky’ron dwelled into thinking. After he left Thra every world he set foot on was hostile. He had to hide in cargo ships to travel. Throughout his journey he was captured, forced to work, kept as slave, forced to fight, managed to run away, get caught, escaped, hid, got involved in illegal acquisition of precious merchandise, got loads of beating and a huge amount of shots. Most of them, imprecise.  
“How did she get here?”, he asked.

“I don’t know exactly, some other pilot must have brought her, they came together with Tami a few trine ago. Tami is the other Vapran girl you saw, her friend.”  
“Eleya is not a typical Sylverling. That girl is white as snow. Why is she so pale? At first I thought she could be from Grot or some other place with no sun.”

“There is story about her origin that circulates around, but I’m not familiar with it. You should ask Tami or Eleya herself. Now, let’s get you settled. I don’t want to miss dinner.”


	2. A tad of curiosity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First evening at the Rebel base.

Ky’ron followed his guide through the corridor and thendown the stairs. The noise was growing stronger. It sounded like a Podling’s feast when everyone has had way more brew than they could handle. A sliding door opened and Ky’ron entered a spacious chamber. He merely madea few steps, before he held his pace. Horns, tentacles, ears, tails, waving and slapping, were flowing back and forth around a large table, placed in the middle of the hall. The loud talk in the Basic common language, that Ky’ron recognized, was alternated with squeaking high pitched chirps and soft purring, combined with laughter and sporadic shouting, mixed with the clicking sound of cutlery and glasses and altered with the squealing tone of some droids. Someone hit him, pulling a chair backwards. Ky’ron stepped back as a few more chairs were headed at his direction. A bunch of guys swooshed before him and exited through a swinging door. Other creatures were passing by, arranging the table. Plates with contents, predominantly in brown shades, glistening and jiggling, were laid before his eyes. Heavy, piquant smell of roasted, tickled his nose, followed by different, nutty odour and then another, spicy as strong, that filled his mouth with juices and brought his attention to his rumbling stomach.

His senses jammed, Ky’ron found a place in the middle of the table, among the other newcomers. His ears caught with irritation the rough voice of the bulky pilot, shouting again. Ky’ron looked his way. Tibor was mooting something with other pilots, distinguished by their uniforms with badges of military rank. One of them was a Gelfling. Vapran. On the side of the table, among the pilots, stood one empty chair. The new recruits, seated in the middle, were talking to each other in loud voices. They had petty appearance, as picked from the most paltry places of the universe. On the other side, near the service entrance, where the dishes came from, were the mechanics and engineers discussing their subjects of interest in a much lower pitch. One couldn’t be wrong about the land crew as they wore the most scruffy and shabby suits, some of which in ridiculous bright orange. Within them, several Gelfling, mingled.

Ky’ron remained silent, overhearing the surrounding conversations, hungry, but exploring, by habit, the place, he’s been housed in. The hall was on an underground level, situated in between floors. Its ceiling was two-storey high, dark and obscure, with all the light shining down on the table. A glass cubicle, positioned in the upper level on the wall that bordered the hangar, was sparkling in the dimness. Ky’ron noticed inscriptions and diagrams, flickering in blue on the glass wall of this small room. His sight glided with the glimmering letterings that were moving downwards, being replaced by new wording and graphics at the top in an irregular rate.

Two glass panels of a door in the wall in front of him slid. Ky’ron’s eyes immediately laid on the two Vapran girls who entered and walked down the oval shaped stairway. Some guys around him stare, others ogled, a few simply took a thoughtful consideration, Ky’ron could only gawk.

Tami was just a bit taller than her friend and, unlike any other Vapran Ky’ron had ever seen, her body had luscious beauty with graceful curves. She wore nice pinafore, decorated with glittery embroidery of her clan symbol, and a tidy underdress, both in muted purple shades, with her hair braided sophistically.A delicate necklace, representing the Vapran sygil animal - the imperial unamoth, adorned her sensual chest. Nevertheless her sight was down, her wings folded tightly to her back and she held to the arm of her snow white friend, following her closely. Eleya walked ahead. Slowly, floating in the air, like a ballad, unimpressed by the clamor around her, avoiding with elegance the free flowing creatures around. Her slim, nearly fleshless body was covered with something, resembling more a shattered curtain than a dress. Above it,pieces of old black clothing sewn together, tied and buckled, kept together with interlacing ties, formed her upper dress - short and tight, with one strap and one cap sleeve. Her glowing white hair with streaks of light blue was left loose and it was so long, it reached the girl’s calf. And when she moved, it was floating like a veil behind her. Her relaxed wings were sparkling underneath, slightly swaying with her motion, along with her white tattered dress. A few feathers with colorful beads decorated her head.

Ky’ron had always thought of Vapran to be snooty and lordly, not to mention skinny and pale. His experience showed that Stonewood girls would try to be his even, moreover prevail. Spriton ladies proved to be gentle and mysterious, much to his delight. He had never had the chance to taste a Drenchen’s caress, although he put in a tad of curiosity. However, as he had stated plenty of times, nothing could compare to being in the arms of a Sifan woman.

As the girls merged in the crowd, Ky’ron’s eyes wavered between Tami’s sensual curves and Eleya’s laidback movements, while a part of his subconscious, that he buried long ago, had awakened. A ghostly white vision soaked in his body, penetrated his brain and made irreversible changes there. His sight stuck on the white Gelfling woman and walked with her as she stopped to grab a drink at a sideway countertop and then danced her way to the table. There was no human in this rebel base, so far reached Ky’ron’s knowledge of the species, yet every creature was taller then her, or she was smaller than everybody, and for every person that posed her an inquiry, which happened notably, she had to raise her sight, pointing upwards her tiny pouting muzzle with a jutted upper lip.

Far away, a very distant, low voice was bugging, “The new guy? Gelfling? Long ears, no hear...”. The tapping on the shoulder yet disturbed his thoughts irrevocably.

Ky’ron blinked a little too many times to a face on his side.

“D’you need anything?” The question that carried considerable annoy in the tone, made it to his attention. Ky’ron had no idea if he needed anything, neither what he could be needing, nor what was in disposition, or, in fact, the subject of his needs was growing private, so he chose to avert the question.

“I’m...fine”, his eyes turned again to the girls and suspended blinking.

A few guys engaged in arranging a places for the ladies in the middle of the table. Eleya left Tami and circled the table. Her face lit up with a bright smile. She greeted with a wink a Gelfling girl, seated near Ky’ron, whispered something in her ear and they both shared a giggle. Then exchanged a few sentences with a tall slim boy, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. Before taking her designated place, both with her friend helped serving a few plates, but their chores were taken with eagerness by young pilots.

Eleya stopped in the middle of the hustle, leaned to the table and her sight passed through the servings of food. And then on the fare of strangers, seated in front of her, taken refuge in this peculiar bevy. Her eyes were cold, blue, but gentle in the same way. She turned to the side of the table where the pilots were seated:

“Hey, flyboys! Won’t you fetch these guys something to drink?”, her mellow tone tried to outvoice the tumult. Her eyes again caressed the newcomers. “They’ve made it this far somehow. They deserve it.”

One could say, no one heard her, as the pilots crossed sights and tried to play deaf, but with a mutter, babble and grin, some wee cups were distributed. Ky’ron sniffed the amber liquid and took a sip. His face frowned as the sharp, bitter taste burned his mouth. Nothing like the Stonewood brew.

Eleya joined Tami in the middle of the table. A few of the new recruits cheered her and tried to hook her attention with telling some adventurous story. Some of the superior pilots greeted the two ladies, asking the injured one how she was feeling. Her reactions were scarce with only a brief smile or simple dropped word. One particular pilot, high ranked, approached the lady with warm and tailored tone:

“Dear, Eleya, would you take the time to tell us aboutyour mischievous experience earlier today, if it isn’t too unpleasant to bare. We could all make conclusions and correct our work.”

Some of the conversations fell silent.

“Jesby, I...”

“Please?”

After a pause and a gulp from her cup, she spoke, her voice soft and quiet, her eyes staring at the plate before her but her head held high.

“We were supposed to descend from the dark side of Kilp, where there’re no patrols. As soon as I entered the Thours pass I got hit and had to turn around. They were expecting us.”

The deep guttural voice of Tibor took over every sound in the hall:

“We were moving quite well if her royal highness were to allow me the opportunity to destroy the navian patrols. An advanced pilot would not give in to fear and call off the whole mission.”

Eleya continued:

“My interceptor does not have deflector shields, as you know, and could not take many hits before loosing it’s integrity.”

“That is because it’s supposed to be operated by a skillful pilot that would actually avoid those hits”, a grin passed through the part of the table where he was seated.

“Or to be accompanied by a star fighter that could aim precisely.”

“I know how to do my job if only you could do what’s expected from once in a while”, Tibor’s voice raised and trembled.

“I know that the amount of curse I got on my radio on the way back from Kilp could seriously intimidate any cocky smuggler.” Almost the whole table bursted into laughter, some loud, other stifled, while Eleya kept her calm expression.

Tibor thumped his massive fist on the table. The cutlery shook and the voices subsided. Before he could shoot another portion of insults, the pilot, who started the subject, stood and addressed to both of them:

“You two should learn to get along in order to work together.”

Tibor was about to make a comment, but Eleya got up and speaked:

“We don’t need to get along to be working together, it’s called intelligence.” and headed to the exit followed by Tami.

Jesby, who’s face was faded with regret, caught the two girls at the door right before they left and took Eleya‘s hand:

“Eleya, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to spoil your evening. Please, come back, you didn’t even finish your dinner.”

She tried to take her hand, but he tightened the grip and continued persuading her:

“Wouldn’t you join us by the fire, at least? Come on, you too need some time to relax. And it wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“I’m tired, really. Good night!”, she took her friend by the hand and left.

The dinner finished, everybody gathered around a large fireplace, lit in an open space near the main building. The conversations from the dinner continued, with multiple groups formed. Some played an instrument, others sang. Ky’ron got acquainted with a Stonewood girl, Chani, and both indulged in enjoyable recollection of past events about their home and their adventures. Ky’ron flooded her with questions and Chani answered with relish. She explained him that her work with the rebels consisted of helping decipher the encrypted imperial communication and seldom going on missions. However, when she spoke about the structures of the Republic, the Separatists and the events after the proclamation of the Empire, Ky’ron lost the thread in his puzzled head. At some point Vhied joined and shifted the subject from the work of the Alliance to the members of this small community and their different sorts of relations. It was far in the middle of the night and Ky’ron neither listened, nor understood, but lingered in the coziness of the hearth and savored the opportunity of having a company.

Before calling the day off, Vhied took Ky’ron away and said to him face to face:

“One more thing, if I may. Please, try not to fall for Eleya, we really need adequate people in this base.”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

The Sifan Gelfling had a blank, slightly stern expression. Ky’ron pulled a face. To look for a girl, is not what he envisioned at when joining the Rebel alliance. Yet the old, faded memories crept uninvited and started filling with color again in the blank of Ky’ron’s head. Flashes of slow gliding gentle hands on his skin, the warm flesh he seized in his handfuls and the hit of the shock wave that filled his body with warmth and pleasure and induced the ultimate muscle spasm. He stated in low and calm voice, with the corner of his mouth lifting:

“I would enjoy every chance with every girl I can and there’s nothing you can do to stop me. Wouldn’t you do the same?”

“Most likely. Definitely. Will.”, sighed Vhied.

This rebel team had already outgrown the capacity of the premises built on this planet, yet more desperate souls who lost their common lives, took refuge here. So in the lack of places to settle, Ky’ron was put to sleep on a hammock in a corner between a warehouse and a workshop separated with a curtain. He relaxed in the old piece of fabric, that would be his bed from now on, and felt different. In the chaos of his tired head, he even managed to wonder what he would do the next morning, when he wakes up. He was hoping to rally the rebels for the cause of saving his kin and his home.

This evening still was so odd. He had roof above his head, food in his stomach, he had chatted with persons, who doesn’t want to kill him, he could rest without the danger of being discovered, he didn’t even needed to sleep with a knife in his hands. He laughed at their jokes. An unusual warmth and composure filled his mind and body and his eyelids grew heavier.

A sudden movement in the darkness of the corner caught his attention. He stared and there was noting but a dirty wall, though he was certain he saw something. That subject faded, as another thought sneaked in his mind, pale and gentle, with floating hair in the air, and he brought back to his reflection the image from earlier at the dinner when the fair Gelfling girl was standing across the table and for a huff of breath their eyes met.


	3. The rustbucket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sudden attack on the Rebel base.

A loud pulsating sound tore Ky’ron off his sleep. The deafening noise filled the dusky space and his head, adding to the pain of the insufficient rest. Ky’ron sat in his hammock, heavy huffing, barely noticing some guys passing before him, hearing distantly agitated talking. A few moments passed until he came to himself, realizing this means alert. He got to the main hall. Worried faces were staring at the general. He was giving orders to the pilots, who rushed one by one towards their spacecraft. He than turned to the land crew:  
“Gather your belongings and prepare for evacuation! We’re under attack!”  
Ky’ron returned to the hammock, where his bag was, and remembered he left his jacket at the dinner table the night before. He sprinted through the hallway and nearly hit the beautiful pilot girl, who was running his way. Her face tense, her hair tucked in a messy bun, Eleya looked him with wide eyes and placed a finger on her lips, asking for secrecy. Then turned and rushed towards the hangar, only to be stopped by Ky’ron’s shout:  
“Hey! Do you need help?”  
She hesitated just for a glimpse and then waved a hand at him to follow.   
The hangar was almost empty with only few dismantled space ships. Eleya dashed for a dusty cover in the opposite corner of the hall. She hopped onto the machine and released the cover from the wings. Then asked Ky’ron:  
“Can you pull the cover now?”   
After receiving his nod she jumped down, but her outstretched wings couldn’t ease enough the fall and she landed, hitting her knees.  
He slid the covering to the ground in a cloud of dust. Beneath it emerged an aircraft, rusted and scratched, spotted with dents and notches. One could almost see the bailing wire and the duct tape that held it together. Meanwhile Eleya was searching with feverish haste through the shelves and countertops nearby, covered with piles of machine parts. Her rummage proved successful when a long cylinder with different incisions and gripped rim was triumphantly in her hands. Ky’ron followed as she mounted back and opened a service lid behind the pilot’s seat, where she inserted the part. Then Eleya tossed behind the command panel and started ignition sequence. The machine produced series of noises, shook a bit and exhausted a mixture of gas and dust, until finally died in silence. However, a few strong hits on the service lid and a “Ignite, for Thra’s sake, you wrecked limpdick contraption!” worked and the engine started. Eleya’s face lit with a smirk and, before closing the cockpit, she turned to Ky’ron:  
“Thank you. Now prepare to evacuate and...hope for the best.”  
“Good luck,” he shouted back.  
The spacecraft shook, emitted horrifying cracking sounds, while lifting from the ground, and swayed away to the exit of the hangar, releasing dust, smoke and some components.  
A grumble shook the ground.  
Ky’ron returned to the main hall. It was empty, with a few guys running to the exit. He followed them outside. In front of the main building frightened eyes projected their fears and hopes to the starry sky, where darting flashes in orange and green were crisscrossing in a dense net.   
Among the chaotic exchange of laser shots, a bright explosion occurred. One ship was destroyed. Ally or enemy was the subject of questioning among the anxious witnesses on the ground below. One by one, more explosions lit the sky. The wary souls turned their heads at different places of the sky dome to follow the bursts, until there were no more. Unsure of the outcome of the battle, everyone stood and waited.  
When the starships started to descend and return to the base, a sigh of relief passed through.   
Whit the spacecraft being parked in the hangar, the pilots gathered in front of the expectant crowd. They stayed slouched, with tiredness on their faces, while the general tapped some by the shoulder. He turned to the ground crew:  
“They were pirates. We took them off. It’s over.”  
Ecstatic shouts filled the midnight air. Smiles eased the weary faces. Some headed back to the building, eager to resume the much needed rest. Alone, among the exhilarated rebels, Tami was flickering around, her eyes glistening and searching. Ky’ron looked around, but he could not see Eleya neither.  
A thunder deafened the chatter and the ground trembled. Followed by another one. Closer. From the distance just above the black belt of the forest, two light lines in orange stroke the night and blasted the opposite side of the meadow. All stood immobilized and watched. The next shot hit the middle of the glen, causing screams of terror. The rebels took refuge inside. Most of them knew that with that momentum of attack, no evacuation procedures could be executed fast enough.   
The next hit was on the roof of the main building. The corner of it crumbled with low, crackling noise and fell. A few rebels had stayed outside, unable to move, just witnessing the events. They were the ones to notice that not all laser shots, that bursted the meadow before them, carried the enemy color code. Some were green. The orange blasts advanced to the main building, while the green ones followed their regularity, but hit at random locations around.   
The subsequent hit exploded in front of the main entrance, throwing dirt at the rebels and leaving a large pit. Green shots followed, hitting the ground, the forest and the hangar.   
A massive bright yellow explosion kindled the sky just above the cratered field, blinding all eyes. Shrapnels of what used to be a spaceship flew around and hit the windows with clicking sound.   
In the silence that followed, a growling mechanical noise anticipated the landing of an aircraft.   
The land crew creeped from inside, looking at the shattered ground, choosing each step with attention. The pilots exchanged brief sights and mumbled crippled words, directing attention to the landing track. One by one, they formed a group, who headed in silence towards the last landed ship.  
“The clunker?!”, someone exclaimed.   
The cockpit cover opened with creaking sound and the small figure of Eleya crawled out and slipped down slowly. She limped a few steps before looking at the pack of rebels. Her face had the air of a frightened animal with both guilt and sadness. The brief silence was interrupted by an abrupt, ear-piercing sound behind her. The starship, that flew on bewitchment and swearwords, had already exceeded its borrowed time. With a creak, it tilted and collapsed, causing the pilot girl to jump startled.   
Every pair of eyes was staring at her. A lump stuck up in her throat, her ears drooped and her arms wrapped around her stomach. She forced herself to make a few more steps, but stopped at a distance from the group.   
Alone, against the crossfire of piercing sights, she had nothing left, but to raise her chin up, take a deep breath and speak, her sight still down. Her voice sounded hoarse at first:  
“I was hiding behind one of the moons, Avila, I think, when I saw one of their ships also hid, in the shadow of Taured. When you cleared them out, they followed you, descending down. This way, they shot at the base from under the shield. I was behind them but, you know, the shooting assistant of that rustbucket doesn’t work quite properly...”  
Tibor was the first to approach her. He stood near her, focused on the wreck.  
“You hit the base.”  
Along came Jesby, followed by the male Vapran Gelfling in uniform. Standing before her the first one said:  
“At least you had to put a spacesuit on, especially when operating this...thing.”  
“This is pure madness, flying that junk. You’re completely reckless. You endangered everyone, including yourself.” added the Vapran pilot with significant resentment in his cold voice.  
That being said, they turned one by one and headed past the hangar, muttering between them.   
With whispers, grins and consoling words the mood in the bevy brightened up and the rebels agreed to continue their harshly interrupted repose. Ky’ron found in the crowd Vhied, who hadn’t joined the battle, and addressed him:  
“Why do they have to be so mean to her? Didn’t she just saved us.”  
“Ky’ron, it’s easier to get used to it”, sighed Vhied. “You cannot win that fight.”  
“We’ll see about that.”  
Tami ran to the motionless figure of her friend and hug her with relief. She held her arm and gently moved her towards the forest, where a path among the trees laid. Ky’ron followed the two girls, observing at Eleya’s expression, that hadn’t even flickered since she got off the starship. He headed towards them, arranging in his mind a phrase of comfort, but noticed the general would reach the ladies first. Eleya must have had eyes on her back, thought Ky’ron, since she felt the presence of her commanding officer and turned her sight towards him, as to face her verdict. The General came out with:  
“And you disobeyed a direct order”, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted.


	4. Beasties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Stonewood boy gets a proper welcome and receives a few tasks.

The kitchen space was crowded when Ky’ron came in the morning. He was hesitating about who to turn to, questioning himself what to do, uncertain of what is expected from him. He chose to join the flow of creatures, heading to the cookhouse. Most guys he followed, came to bite something for breakfast and hanged in here talking in groups. Others were preparing the meal for the day and if one isn’t expedite with its eating, easily could get assigned with a task. The faces carried bright mood, as if nothing had happened, or what happened was nothing unusual.  
One pair particularly caught his attention. Two Vapran girls were sitting on a table in the corner, peeling something and talking. Ky’ron nodded to the ladies and received a smile from Eleya. He walked around a large countertop in the center of the premises and took the time to explore and taste some fruits or vegetables, he wasn’t able to determine. Unbeknownst to him, a Silverling’s sight glided slowly over his body. Her bluish eyes were following the long, layered hair, that fell over his shoulders and descended to his lower back. Her sight passed with relish through the streaks of green and blue, twined amidst the dark brown strands. Her lips were still uttering words, with slow pace, while her attention was exploring the shape of his body under the clothes. He was moving slowly, trying the food, until he turned and leaned to a counter. Under the shaggy bangs, a pair of green eyes fixed her. Eleya flinched, then turned to her friend and continued chatting. The background noise was low and Ky’ron easily caught what the ladies were talking.   
“Listen, the Tabith system is calm to boredom, you should not worry. Nothing can go wrong, nothing ever happens there anyway. I’ve been there. And you’ll do just fine, trust me. Who told you by the way?”, Eleya asked her friend.  
“Gueedri. But it’s not certain yet”, answered Tami with a strangely articulated voice. Ky’ron listened deeper as her talking was not only high pitched, but she had an accent and sounded like strongly inebriate person, changing the vowel of every word.   
Eleya continued:  
“If the rumor has it, than it’s certain. But Gueedri, why did he told you? He’s cunning. I should speak with him. Hey, do you want me to talk to the general and go instead of you?”  
“Certainly not. I can do it, I’m just nervous like every time. Come on, let’s not talk about this stupid mission.”  
Someone handed Ky’ron a large, oval, unfamiliar fruit and an instrument. The girls noticed that he was looking around the two objects, but could not make absolutely no connection between them, and Tami let slip a stifled laugh. Eleya tapped her by the hand, lightly, and hushed. Then went to the confused Gelfling boy, who was looking at them. With a slow pace, she approached. Her soft smile and gentle eyes laid on him, and she spoke, with kind intonation of her gentle voice:  
“Please, excuse us. Someone has swapped my friend for a goof-ball. Let me show you how.”  
With easy and careful touch she took the instrument from his hands, turned it, separated a short blade from it, stuck the blade into the fruit and started to part the juicy yellowy flesh from the big pit inside. She smiled gently to the boy and explained:  
“This is lamao fruit, have you not tried one?”  
“No...”  
She opened a large cupboard, that emitted light from the inside, took a bowl with cream like content and handed it to Ky’ron. To his surprise, it felt cold to the hands.  
“How do you eat that?”, he asked.  
She dipped the tip of her finger and licked it, enjoying the taste with a playful chuckle, her eyelids nearly closed.  
Fuck, would you lick my finger like that, thought Ky’ron and took a dip too. His eyes widened. Still munching, he exclaimed:  
“Umm, it’s amazing!” The fresh, sweet, slightly sour taste and fluffy texture tickled his taste in myriad ways. He took another dip. Deeper.  
Eleya laughed and deprived him of the tasteful cup, instead she served him the fruit with the instrument and nodded him to try by himself. Before returning the bowl to the cupboard, she took one last deep dip and licked her finger, glancing at Ky’ron only to meet his sight. Then she asked him:  
“Would you like a tea?”   
“Sure”  
Returning to him she passed beside the fully covered countertop and picked some food. Again, unlike her friend, her clothes were unpresentable, a tunic and a pants, both old and patched, wide and saggy. Even if her thin body looked boyish, Ky’ron detected the feminine curve of her hips and assumed her tiny perfect breasts. Her smooth motion, involuntary touch of her hair, twitch of her years were fixated by the Stonewood. She looked at him, aiming to throw a fruit, so he can free his hands and catch.  
“If you like the lamao, try this one. And also...”, she picked a handful of small purple droplets. Then went to him, took his hand and, after unfolding his fingers one by one, helped the fruits.  
She looked up to meet his eyes, as he was rather taller than her, and said:  
“I know, everything’s different here. It’s so...not like home. But it’s not so bad.”  
Her face was a joyful childling and a seductive woman at the same time, and nothing in between. For a heartbeat away they kept eye contact without speaking.   
“Not at all”, he agreed. She continued:  
“If you need anything, I’d be happy to help. So... I guess...welcome to the rebels.”  
Her gaze diverted downward, before staring at him again:  
“It’s Ky’ron, right?”, she added with a deep smooth voice.  
“How...”  
A group of young pilots and new recruits entered and immediately surrounded the pale Gelfling girl. They all cheered her loudly, commending her maneuver the night before, with one of them particularly contending for her attention.   
“Eleya, no matter what those uppish swellheads say, I think we all agree you saved the base!”  
“I didn’t...”, she uttered vaguely.  
“Don’t listen to them, you’re the best pilot here.”  
“Yeah, you don’t need to show off.”  
“That’s a real hero.”  
“I’m no hero. I only disobey orders”, she whispered, her sight deviated sideways, her fingers fidgeting with a strand of hair.  
“Tonight, every song by the fire will be sang for you”, the young guy took her hand and kissed it. “I shall personally see to that.” His pals followed him out, while Eleya obtained a pot from a cupboard.  
She took a cup on the right to Ky’ron and reached for some jars on his left. She sniffed in each one of them, before taking a pinch of its contents and putting them in the pot. From some of the jars she took two pinches, whilst from a small container - just a few leaves. Ky’ron followed her hands, as they added a small spoon of a green powder and then sprinkled some dry pink leaves. A little flask appeared from somewhere and a few drops from it joined the mixture. Eleya inserted her tiny nose in the pot and draw in a breath, her eyes nearly closed. She turned to Ky’ron:  
“Can you give me that jar on the top shelf with the jasmine?”  
He looked up the shelf, where multiple containers and boxes were placed, but waited to meet her eyes again and said:  
“Even if I knew what jasmine is, I couldn’t give it to you, because I don’t know which one is it, I...can’t read.”  
“Oh, I’m sorry. But I can teach you!” Her eyes widened with enthusiasm for a heartbeat, only to lower her sight to the ground: “That is if you want, of course.”  
“I would love that.”  
“Then it’s settled. Later, today”, she stated with a cheery voice.  
His hands were still handling the fruit and the peeler, but his mind was set on the gentle creature, moving around, whose company brought pleasure and intimidation, intermixed. In his brain, unbidden longing sneaked around his common sense, blurring imperceptibly all practical responses, setting place for daydreams. At some point Eleya noticed the sharp instrument barely spared his flesh, so she spoke gently.  
“Could you, please, watch what you’re doing, you’re gonna cut yourself. Let me show you, the angle should be smaller.” She placed her hands onto his, adjusting his grip and showing the correct movement. Her hands on top of his, were small and childlike, with a touch, soft and unreal, and so fair, they seemed white over his deep tan complexion.  
Beside him she put a cup with vapor coming out of it.  
“Be careful. It’s hot.”  
“I can see that”, he said looking back at her. She moved her sight, with a timid smile and took two more cups.  
One pilot passed through the room, grabbed some food and took a peek at the scene.  
“Having a tea, huh? The sugar is on your right”, he winked to Ky’ron.  
Eleya pushed the pilot to the exit with: “Shut up, you numbskull” and bustled with slight edginess around Ky’ron, looking for something. She got a jar with golden brown substance in it and gave it to the Stonewood.  
“Is this sugar? Because I have no idea what sugar is”, he grinned.  
“No. It’s better. Try it.”  
He took a sniff, holding in his eyes a girl, who bit her lip, and had a taste. The dense paste carried the combined sweetness of all the fruits he had ever tasted with countless different aromas.  
“What is this? It’s amazing!” He couldn’t hold a goofy smile, when she met his eyes. “I understand why he’s referring to you...”  
All of a sudden her eyes widened and her expression stiffened.  
“Don’t move”, she commanded.  
“Wha...”, he stopped, as he noticed her eyes weren’t on him, but focused on something behind him. She stepped next to him and, while holding to his arm for support, sharply stretched out behind him. When she moved back in front of him, I n her hand was squirming a large brown insect, as big as a fizzgig. With a glowing smile on her face, she presented it to Ky’ron, a heartfelt amusement flowing in her voice:  
“We have bugs, if you haven’t noticed. These little fellas are everywhere and they’re not dangerous. Most of them.”  
Eleya was holding the critter at his back and his numerous feet were waving in the air. She gently rubbed its belly with a chuckle and looked at Ky’ron:  
“You’d better get used to them as they’re not going anywhere.” That being said, she turned to Tami who had a grimace of disgust on her face. Eleya let a titter, while she walked to her friend, stooped underneath the table, where Tami was seated, and pulled out another bug, bigger. Holding one squirming pest at each hand, she had to make it quick to the door, thus leaving Ky’ron to endure alone Tami’s screams.  
Eleya returned and, while still trying to stifle her laughter, went to her friend, carrying two more cups and opted to continue their conversation, but Tami exclaimed:  
“I hate these beasties, they’re everywhere! And they sneak out on you, and crawl into your clothes, and into your bed! Mordel said he would do something about it, why hasn’t he done anything!”  
Eleya fondled the hair and the face of her friend and empathized with:  
“I know how uncomfortable is this for you and I’m sorry I can’t do anything. But don’t get it out on Mordel. He’s just a mechanic. He has a lot on his head. Right?”  
Tami nodded. Eleya continued:  
“Last night, you know, the two moons were shining and I found a spot...”, she lowered her voice so only Tami could hear her and whispered something, that made both girls grin. “I’ll show you later, alright?”  
“Oh, you and your moons! I’m not into adventures right now, I’m sorry...”, Tami deviated her sight.  
Eleya leaned to her friend and they touched their heads.   
“I understand, it’s alright. I’ll be going today for supplies with the guys, but later we can hang out and just relax.”  
“That sounds much better”, smiled Tami.  
At that moment Jesby entered, headed directly to Eleya and invited her in his prim manner:  
“Dear Eleya, if you are willing to come, we’re ready to go!”  
The two girls locked sight and grinned, Eleya took a cloak and, while following her pilot, turned to Tami and asked:  
“You want me to get you something?”  
Tami looked down bashful, with a grin and her friend responded with a chuckle. But then she added, just when Eleya was at the door:  
“But if you have to get into trouble for that, then, no!”, to which the answer was just more laughter.  
Ky’ron watched Tami, as she continued her work in the corner. Such an unusual Vapran girl, like her friend, to tell the truth. What could be their story, such thought playfully tickled the Stonewood boy. At a few blinks away Tami felt his sight and lifted her eyes. Ky’ron let a smile and walked slowly towards her. She, on the other hand, stood and speeded to the exit, passing by the other side of the table, exceeding her pace to the door.

As a new recruit the first assignment Ky’ron received, was the most urgent undertaking of repairing the roof of the main building, which had withstood an unintentional hit. Given the fact that the base lacked proper materials and the rebels were insufficient in dexterity, it would be best not to undergo reconstruction, yet it was also short of good fortune.  
On the top of the building the flat roof was used for storage of unnecessary equipment, but also presented an opportunity to view the whole area around. Ky’ron dropped an eye through the landscape and focused on the buildings. He remembered he saw the general coming out from the short edifice on the opposite side of the glen.   
“What is that premises over there?”, asked Ky’ron about a house behind the hangar.  
“That’s the pilots’s residence”, explained a guy from the land crew. Then looked to a person, who was carrying supplies, dropping and picking them, and added: “The real pilot’s, not the wannabe’s.”  
Ky’ron’s eyes set to explore a building hidden amongst the trees of the forest, near the fireplace. The side part of it was shattered and it was almost completely consumed by the vegetation.  
“What happened to that abandoned house?”  
“It’s not abandoned, that’s where the girls sleep.”

When came clearly that he had some skills, Ky’ron was given the task to teach the new recruits with the art of combat fighting. As much as the guys were truly eager to learn anything whatsoever, the Stonewood didn’t had magical abilities and the mutual enthusiasm wasn’t enough to achieve real results. The process was not only not advancing, but it wouldn’t be deceiving to say, that they were worse than when they began, because having seen a few techniques, has made them believe in themselves unjustifiably. Therefore at the afternoon the pack of new recruits was stroking it’s bruises and cursing their wasted clothes in the shadows of the forest, when they received the subsequent task.  
Ky’ron with a handful of guys were cleaning the area in front of the headquarters from the debris of the latter attack, at the time that a small cargo ship landed. A few picks and swear words after that, Eleya with Jesby and some other rebels headed to the base, while the land crew with Ky’ron and the new recruits were instructed to take down the supplies from the vessel.  
Tami apparently had been hiding in the forest nearby, decided Ky’ron, as she trotted to her Vapran friend the instant she showed. They hugged and Eleya whispered something in her ear, in the act of secretly giving her a small sachet. Jesby’ s voice took the ladies out of their moment:  
“So, is that what was all about, for her? How would you reason your little deviation? That was your plan plan from the beginning, isn’t it? Why didn’t you just talk to me instead going on your own?”, he was keeping his utterance low and polite as he could. “What was so important that you had to put us all at risk? Please, Eleya, I’ll cover you but could you be kind enough to tell me, at least?”  
Eleya walked to him and stood in front of him, silent, with serious expression, gazing at his eyes. Ky’ron left the load he was carrying, and engaged in picking the remains around the Gelfling girls and the pilot. Still and all, the glen didn’t get any cleaner.  
Eleya was still looking deeply at the pilot’s eyes. What she did was to put two fingers on her lips and mimic a kiss, and then gently place those fingers on Jesby’s mouth with just:  
“Thank you!”  
Than went to her friend and the two disappeared in the woods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suppose a list of characters is in order since there’s plenty of them
> 
> Ky’ron - Stonewood new recruit   
> Eleya - Vapran pilot girl  
> Tami - Eleya’s friend   
> Vhied - Sifan pilot of a spaceship   
> Tibor - ill-tempered pilot  
> Jesby - the polite pilot   
> General Kedial - the commanding officer of the base


	5. Specifics of hyperspace traveling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A girl gets in trouble, an illiterate gets a reading lesson and a lucky one gets laid.

Ky’ron came back into the base before sundown for his reading lesson and wandered in the premises to find his teacher. A bright mood had set in his mind. A tickle of anticipation with a pinch of insecurity were holding his throat a bit tight. Through a large glass, in a room full of dark screens with flickering inscriptions in blue, he saw her and his stomach tied into a node. Eleya was talking with the Vapran pilot, one of Tibor’s friends. Ky’ron came near the door and overheard an exchange of sharp lines. He couldn’t but eavesdrop to the conversation, as his guts suggested something wasn’t right.  
“What do you mean I sabotaged the mission?”, Eleya asked with fear in her tone and her childish face with widened eyes facing upwards.  
“You forgot to change your communication channel, they caught your frequency”, the Vapran pilot stood rigid, with cold face, chiseled from the hardest rock, one could hit, his green eyes only peeking at the girl before him.  
“But I was with Tibor on the radio the whole time!”  
“You had to switch on secure channel.”  
“I didn’t?”  
“You did, but it had been too late. The navian patrols had already had intercepted you. You had to change your frequency right after you left.”  
She paused as she recreated the events in her mind and he was speaking true. Then asked him:  
“Did you tell the general?”  
“Not yet.”  
“Could you...”  
“No way. You have to take responsibility for your actions.”  
“Gueedri, please! Telling him is useless, I am not an officer to be casted down, I’m nobody.”  
“Exactly. Perhaps he should reconsider trusting you. After all, it’s his decision to make. Having all the facts, of course,” the pilot was talking in a flat tone, without a single change of intonation or twitch of a muscle on his callous face.  
“But I can do the job. Next time, I won’t fail.”  
“You cannot be given more and more chances all the way. Your actions have consequences, measured in casualties, resources, funds. Thankfully, not yet lives.”  
Gueedri walked out the room. He exchanged a stern look with Ky’ron and moved along. Eleya stood a few moments alone in the middle of the room, then started looking around the whole space with uneasiness, when she noticed through the open door Ky’ron was waiting outside. She walked to him, wiped the runnels, wetting her cheeks, and put herself a perfect smile:  
“Ky’ron... yes...reading lesson”, her eyes were still wandering anxiously.  
“If it isn’t the right time, I can come later. Are you alright?”  
The next smile was brighter:  
“Oh, just fine! We’re having your lesson but...first we have to do some little...adjustments. Come!” She grabbed his sleeve and rushed through the hallway, followed by her sudden accomplice. They passed a labyrinth of rooms, corridors and stairways until entering a premises with large command board and one dark toned translucent wall facing the hangar and on the opposite side, one giving view to the hall with the large table, that held the community dinner, as Ky’ron remembered. Hologram writings and diagrams sparkled in blueish on the clear screen. Eleya mounted onto the board and kneeled, trying not to step on something important. Thereby she reached the touchscreen and immediately engaged in searching the menus. She worked with swiftness, her gentle hand slid on the glassy surface, her fingers tapping on the foreign writings. A certain empty field she tried to fill in flashed in red the answer in return. After a few unsuccessful attempts she cried out:  
“No!” And her clenched fists hit the board with: “Rusted evolutionary break, for Thra’s sake!” Her head stood dropped down.   
Ky’ron approached her, his hand reaching to offer a soothing gesture, but before touching her, she turned her head towards him. Her eyes were filled with tears, but they narrowed as her face grimaced to a smirk. With one sleek movement she slid to the floor gently pushing Ky’ron’s body and uttered in a deep pitch:  
“Follow me.”  
This time the labyrinth of hallways arrived at a small room featuring a desk with multiple smaller screens around it. The dim light of the screens was enough to orientate. Eleya started searching through the drawers, shelves and every opening she found, until she got a wide metal unfinished oval shape with flashing lights on it. She engaged immediately manipulating it and scrolling through the hologram images, that projected above it. Without interrupting her occupation, she asked:  
“Did you get one of these?”  
Ky’ron had received upon arriving such a bracelet with the instructions of carrying it most importantly when outside the shield’s coverage as it signals the falling of an asteroid.  
Before he could give an answer a finger snap activated the lighting in the room. The two Gelflings jerked up and turned to the entrance, where the general stood.  
“Eleya, what are you doing here?” He asked with calm, unimpressed tone, slight annoyance perceivable even.  
With a slow and smooth movement the girl rounded the desk while her hand left the bracelet on a shelf underneath and took the book residing there. With gliding steps she approached her officer, her face was playfully enthusiastic and her voice whispering:  
“This is a sensitive subject...” she looked towards Ky’ron and then back to the general. “We’re having a reading lesson and I needed an example of text in the common language to exercise.”  
“And ‘Specifics of hyperspace traveling’ will do?”, he asked without a mere change of intonation.  
She grinned.  
“Well, there isn’t anything else in disposition...so it just suits.”  
This being said, she took Ky’ron by the sleeve and pulled him out of the room with the swiftness the situation required.  
The pulling continued through the corridors until they returned to the office with translucent screens and finally being alone in the closed room she let her grip and exploded in a shriek of laughter. She was squealing and neighing, tapping her knees, her body rocked, tears came out of her eyes, she could barely catch her breath. She leaned forward to the desk, trying to calm down, laboring her breathing. Ky’ron was grinning at her, still a little dumbfounded by the intense series of events to which he had been a mere spectator. Having regained control over her body she boarded again over the command desk to reach the touchscreen and initiated in scrolling and tapping the menus. This time nothing flashed in red and Ky’ron concluded by her glowing smile that her plot was executed with success.  
With a single twisting movement, Eleya sat towards him with her feet hanging in the air and swinging. She looked at him and for the first time this evening, she was really seeing him and behind her sight, her mind wasn’t conspiring some getaway plan. She said with kindness and a little guilt in her voice:  
“Ky’ron, I’m sorry I spoiled your lesson with my...entanglement.”  
“You kidding me? To miss that stunt? How sly you got out of it.”  
She grinned and her sight wondered in the room for a little while, only to stare at him deeper afterwards:  
“Ky’ron,” she speaked with a lower pitch, “Not a word about this? Agreed?”  
“Got it.”  
Then she continued:  
“But we’re having our lesson, right?”  
“Absolutely”, his eyes were stuck on her to the point of being slightly dehydrated.  
At the same room Eleya arranged chairs for them to sit and fetched writing utensils. She sat beside him, her head relaxed on her arm, and started writing on a sheet of paper, but her sight darted him and she couldn’t hold her grinning. Ky’ron doubted he had something in his hair so he stroked it, but that only made the girl grin again. He knew his hair was shaggy and he hadn’t seen himself in a mirror for quite a long time but he didn’t expect the situation to be in such a ridiculous state.   
Her hand moved the pencil with gracefulness and elegance, drawing symbol after symbol. Ky’ron’s attention intertwined with the writings, accompanied with the melody of her soft voice. And so did hers while she explained, repeated and encouraged Ky’ron in his learning process. She was denoting the symbols with meanings and combining them to form a phrase, asking from him to interpret. At first he did well and she, with childish enthusiasm, presented him with more examples again and again. She flooded him with knowledge, expecting him to remember everything and puzzled him more, but her voice and gestures bewitched him. He, on the other hand, was aiming to look smarter, as he enjoyed her commending his progress so he exerted himself beyond measure. Thus, both captivated, none of them noticed how much time had passed by. At some point, he couldn’t read even a single example correctly as his head was too filled but he’d rather continue than interrupt that moment. He tried to disguise his grogginess with awkward grin and inappropriate jokes but she figured him out and that brought her attention back in the present moment with a disturbing thought.  
“Hey, we’ll miss dinner!”, she exclaimed.  
That initiated another bustle including pulling sleeves, running through passageways, shushing and hiding, much to Ky’ron’s amusement. They entered the empty hall at the moment when the delegated persons were taking out the last empty dishes. Eleya’s face gloomed, but her eyes darted, as she turned to Ky’ron and put her palm on his chest. She commanded him:  
“Wait here”, and disappeared.  
Ky’ron looked around and made a few steps, stretching his body. That’s when she returned, glowing, with a plate full of multiple meals in her hands. With a meandering walk, more like a dance, she served the dish at the giant table and invited Ky’ron with a deep, sultry voice:  
“Dig in. We wouldn’t wanna let you starve, huh, Stonewood” and inched tiny steps backwards towards the exit still facing him.  
He reached a hand for her with: “Hey, what about you? Let’s share this meal...” but she had slipped away, so he added: “Thank you for the lesson.”  
Her answer was a wide smile, however her eyes couldn’t join his. She vanished like a breath of air.

The evening was calm and warm, with a soft breeze and a low buzz from the forest. The skies were clear and the dusty shining belt of asteroids split the space above from one horizon to the opposite one, arching over the base. Two moons, grayish and dull, glowed just upon the skyline and a third one complimented them, slightly off the zenith.  
The flames of the fire, orange and green, performed their seductive dance, under an uneven crackling rhythm. Small groups of persons had scattered around, immersed in conversations. Ky’ron joined Vhied and Chani to renew their discussion from the previous day. Along came the two Vapran girls. Heads turned, following the ladies until they chose their places. Ky’ron’s eyes sticked to the Silverling women despite his interesting dialogue. The rag princess was with the same boyish outfit, but her hair was set loose and floating around her at the mild breeze. Her friend, dressed exceptionally well, walked closely to her, avoiding all eye contact. They sat on the ground, Tami took a pillow, while Eleya leaned to her. A Spriton Gelfling mechanic, took out a firca and started a tune. Eleya, who was exchanging short words in a low voice with Tami, raised her sight. Her talking slowed down and seized, her head tilted to the direction of the music and her lips gently curved to a smile. Her moment of delight was interrupted by a hand reached forward to her. Ky’ron recognized the pilot who praised her earlier in the kitchen.   
“Shall we dance?”, accompanied the invitation.  
Eleya slowly put her hand in his and he lead her away and swung her, holding her tight by the waist. Eleya’s hair was flowing like the melody, her wings sparkled, her smile turned to chuckle with every sway.  
Someone put a hand on her shoulder. She grinned and nodded in agreement to dance with him. Another twirl and while her face was lit by the light of the fire and by the dances, her cheeks became blushing, her chiming laughter complemented the music.  
Another guy tried his luck and succeeded.   
Chani punched Ky’ron by the shoulder:  
“Go on, give it try. She’ll dance with you, she dances with everyone”, she grinned.  
“Ugh...I’m fine right here, thank you...”  
“Come on, you’re eyeballing her all evening, at least go and ask her.”  
“I did certainly not eyeball her, excuse me.”  
“If you say so.” Both Chani and Vhied were giggling.  
Another tune, another partner changed and the pilot took his turn again. Eleya was chuckling all the way.  
When the air subsided, he took her hands and asked:  
“Sing to us? Would you?”  
“No...” she mumbled and turned her head aside.  
“Please?”  
“No.” She slipped her hands and hopped off to her friend, followed by the pilot.  
He invited her to walk with him, placing a hand on her back and the two of them engaged in an inaudible dialogue as they retreated to the woods. The trees were almost black in the dusk of the night but their crowns were showered in pale light. Among the leaves some blue lights sparkled. Eleya stopped before stepping in the forest. She exchanged a few last words with the pilot and rejoined Tami, who waited her away from the fire. The girls caught a trail and disappeared.  
The pilot walked back to the chattering group, meandering, his hands in his pockets, his ears drooped.  
“Not his lucky night, apparently”, mumbled Vhied, nearing to Ky’ron. “Not anyone’s to be precise”, fidgeting the amulet hanging on his chest.  
A soft tinkling chime passed with a gust of breeze. Ky’ron looked around, but nobody was giggling. The gossip was running uninterrupted. Local feature, I guess, he decided and turned to his friends.  
Another melody filled the smokey air.

Vhied headed to his ship for the night. He passed by the dark thicket around the main building. The air was chill. The talk around the fire was still distinguished, though near the trees he caught a soft buzzing sound. It was a mixture of subtle crackling sound, clicks and chirps. The bushes were dark, but still it was visible that the leaves were moving. As if the whole branches were moving. The breeze wasn’t that strong though. “Critters”, labeled them Vhied and moved forward. He was alone. Or so he thought. His mind was tired to give in to fear of probable menacing creatures, besides he payed attention to the subtle blue lights glimmering through the leaves and approached the bush to check out. He neared a leaf to his sight and identified an intricate drawing made of sparkling blue light. The sign said ‘follow’ in Gelfling. More leafs carried dream etchings, though they were out of his reach.  
“Vhied?”  
He turned head towards the call that chirped in the night. In the blackness stood an eerie figure of pale glow.  
‘I’ll walk with you”, Eleya said. His face stood blank, so she smiled and as they walked, she threw him looks but her sight was low and her hands were wrapping her body.  
They strolled together. Vhied was spotting her with suspicion. She chuckled whenever their eyes met.   
“It must be very interesting to travel to all those different worlds, right?”, she asked.  
“Actually it isn’t as romantic as it seems. It’s all traveling in light speed, avoiding imperial ships and trying not to get screwed up with some busted merchandise.”  
“But you still like it.”  
“It’s my life now. It’s much like it was on Thra, as far as that is even possible.”  
“You sailed on a trading ship?”  
“Yes.”  
They had reached his old weathered space vessel and stood facing each other near the mounting ramp. Eleya tilted her head and took a lock of her hair to intertwine within her fingers.  
“Right. Tell me, how is that ship different than the star fighter?”, she asked, smiling.  
“You want me to teach you to fly a freight ship?”  
“Well, not now”, she grinned. “What’s her name, by the way?”  
He turned his sight to the rugged surface and a breeze of memories passed before his eyes. He couldn’t even count all the times the old bucket saved his skin but now, the warmth filled his soul and enlightened his face. He patted the metal sheet.  
“It’s Scavenger. She’d lived up to her name”, he smiled to the girl. “Come on in, I’ll show you around.”  
They walked up the ramp and entered. Boxes, tools, mechanical components laid spread in the narrow passageway. He excused himself for the mess inside and lead her through the ship. She looked silently with eyes wide open and subtle smile exploring from top to bottom the insides of this vessel. She gasped with amazement of the opulent decorations in his command pit. Taking the amulets one by one in a hand, she chuckled and questioned. Vhied unhooked one and put it round her neck, much to her surprise and delight. In a mixture of his excessive talking and her chiming chuckle, they moved around the ship. He even showed her the secret hideaway where he smuggled guns or fugitives, but mostly stolen merchandise, and when they returned to the ramp, he addressed her:  
“So, what is it actually, Eleya? You want me to get you something, or to take you somewhere?”  
“Sifa does nothing for free, right? You don’t think I could come without asking something from you?”  
“Why, could you?”  
She grinned, “At least not now.”  
“Very well. So what is it that you want then?”  
She took one of his reddish brown braids with a smile and a sight lowered to the floor.  
“You.”  
She slinked forward to him, stood in front of him and, her head tilted, she looked from below like an animal at his face, that was even more blank than before. Her words came out slowly:  
“Only if you want me, that is.”  
She lifted on her toes for her face to near his. “You could say no, of course...”  
Her lips touched his as she whispered, “I won’t insist...”  
Is this really happening? But, how...? She never noticed me before...Fuck, she’s so close...Am I to say ‘no’ to this?... Thra forbid it...Get her!  
He pressed his lips to shut her mouth and held her waist, softly at first, then stronger. Her hands glided through his body when, with a giggle, she slipped away and stumbled a few steps away. Facing him, her feet sliding backwards, her voice, jingling like a chime, filled the dim space with soft chuckle. He captured her quickly and adhered to her lips, while his hands enwrapped her chest. Her body squirmed and twisted so she can escape again. She scampered ahead only to turn around and meet again his opened arms. The melody of their alternating chortle accompanied the chase. Eleya sneaked away slithering, staggered with giggle, as she eyed Vhied, who lunged to capture her. Finally he took hold of her and wouldn’t let go. Instead he moved her to a daybed that slid from the wall of the ship and knocked her down with “You’re not going anywhere.” Both fumbling under each other’s clothing, Vhied froze and stared in her face with concern:  
“Eleya? What about protection?”  
She chuckled, “I’ve taken care of that.”And then chuckled some more. “I’m not having your babies.”  
They helped each other to dispose of their clothes and he stood firm for a few heavy breathings away, to hold in his eyes her naked white body while his hands were gliding through her curves. Vhied wondered is she really glowing or just her skin is so fair it reflects even the muted light inside the ship. Kisses on his face drew him off his pondering. A pair of hands pulled him to lay over the assumably glowing body and two legs wrapped around him. She took his hand, placed it on her breast and squeezed it. His other hand she guided to the lowest place of her tummy and set a gentle rubbing. Her lips were sucking his with soft moaning. She pushed his shoulders and turned him on his back, then straddled over him and bent ahead, joining his lips. Her body squirmed in a wave-like motion over his. Her hair poured over him like a mist, weaved of threads of light, carrying it’s own scent, both fresh and fruity. His hands were holding her tiny breasts, gently touching the nipples with fingertips, slowly, consistently, as she writhed more and more. His eyes were consuming her wriggling body, his ears soaked her moans, he breathed the flavor of her self and his flesh bathed in the touch of her skin. He caught her thighs made a tremor. That’s when he turned her on her back and thrusted into her. Deep as he could. Her arms and legs wrapped around him and drew his body tightly. Her warm breath caressed his ear, just as her moans penetrated in his brain and with each cry encapsulated his mind and absorbed his soul. He relaxed his body weight onto her tummy with every push inside her and he felt again her thighs began to shiver. Then her whole body quivered when he was deep inside her. Her sudden outcry, lush and high-pitched, echoed in the ship’s cavity. A strong convulsion shook her and her back arched. With a beat of his heart away, a shock wave hit him, his body made a single shudder, hit by an invisible yet tactile swoosh in the space and all his external senses shut down. Inside his body, Vhied sensed a warmth, moving through his flesh, filling every cell of his body with ultimate ecstasy, and, in culmination, he spilled all of himself, back to his ancestors, inside Eleya.  
When he came back to the present moment, as coming back from a dreamfast to reality, blinking a few times, until his sight returned, he lay beside her and hugged her from behind. He gifted her a couple of kisses on the ear. She fluttered her eyelids, still softly moaning with each breath she drew, raised her head and looked around. Vhied said softly in her ear:  
“You can have your sleep, you’re safe here.”  
Her head relaxed in his palm, she hugged his arms and snuggled in his hands, with her eyes already closed and her body curled, she fell asleep in no time. He beheld her for a while, as her face was still smiling and her body was definitely glowing.


	6. Awkward silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One can find friends in an unusual places.

The first thought in his mind when Ky’ron woke up was to dig up his old lute and see if it can still be used. All his belongings were gathered in a cloth bag. Running for your life limited the likelihood of carrying heavy luggage to only the most necessary or dearest objects. His favorite jacket though housed more stencils of different and smaller character, like a knife, cords and a small musical instrument Ky’ron could not name, because he obtained in a indecent manner. He had disposed long ago from all the clothes, wooden carvings, instruments, objects of memories and kept only his lute, his sword, some cords and twines and a Sifan amulet. A bluish-black stone with intricate carvings, hanged on a blue thread, fell from the bag as Ky’ron was delving in the sack. He took it and sunk into the memories it held. Heavy grief took hold of him as the smiling face of the one who gifted it to him emerged into his mind. He had guarded the amulet as dearly as his life and now, he thought it was safe enough to put it on.  
The lute was scratched and covered with dents, yet not broken. One of the strings was torn, though. Ky’ron started to clean the dirt from the intricate carvings in the center of it. The incisions were in the shape of the Stonewood clan symbol. Many nights had he played until his eyes closed and many mornings he had found himself lying under a tree with the lute to keep him company. He smiled to his old friend and tried to tune the working strings.  
Beside the tuneless tones he produced, in the air were floating noises from the kitchen and the main hall. Voices, high and low pitched, arguing, clanking of cooking implements, breaking glasses. But among them, Ky’ron distinguished something differing, not a dissonance. Music.  
His ears perked to establish the direction, his head turned slowly and his body followed. The melody was calling from the corridor and leaded to the hangar. There among the inanimate spaceships in the wide space of the premises was flowing an air of a string instrument. It lead Ky’ron to the farthest corner where in the midst of tools about any use, machine parts and implements, concerning all mechanical issues, a Gelfling, a Grottan one, was seated on the floor and playing. Ky’ron stared at the instrument with observation as it was something quite longer than the lute, of different shape, and with more strings.   
The two exchanged sights, nods and names. Ky’ron returned back to his resting place to take his lute and upon returning, addressed Mordel:  
“It needs a new string. Can you help, if I may ask?”  
Mordel took it and after giving it a thorough look, rummaged the nearby counters. He said, while working:  
“You’ll miss breakfast.”  
“Ugh, no. Actually, I won’t miss peeling something I cannot even identify from a rock. Or cutting my fingers with that razor sharp contraption. Also, disposing of the trash. And, certainly, don’t miss having to clean pots without water.”   
Mordel dropped a tool, while shaking in quiet laughter. Ky’ron continued:  
“So, thank you, I’ll skip breakfast”, they exchanged a larking grin, then the work continued.  
Although, Ky’ron froze, out of the blue, for a heartbeat, his eyes staring in front of him without seeing anything.  
“I’ll miss tea, though.”  
Mordel hands moved quickly through the mess on the countertop, finding the right tool and repairing the instrument.  
“Is there anything you cannot fix?”, asked Ky’ron with enthusiasm.  
“Yes, to be honest. The water supply and plumbing.”  
“I don’t believe they would expect that from you. You’re a...mechanic, right?”  
“Anything that needs fixing, is on my behalf.”  
“What was your occupation back on Thra, before...everything?”  
“Digging in the caves, making wooden furniture, and, repairing, in general”, Mordel sighed.  
“Do you work alone here?”  
“Faolan is to help me, but he has, how to put it...more poetic soul. His mindset towards work resembles much yours toward kitchen chores”, he threw Ky’ron an amused look. “He’s the Spriton who played firca by the fire.”  
“I remember him. But I don’t remember seeing you.”  
“I’m not very good at dancing and singing.”  
The instrument mended, they sat together on the ground and played as if there’s nothing else in the world. Some common tunes they both knew from Thra and some of their own. They’d even started adding and developing their own compositions.  
“What’s that instrument of yours?”, asked Ky’ron.  
“That used to be a dulcimer, but I have replaced almost every part of it to make it sound better. I also made some modifications...”  
“It does sound nice.”  
“You know, these large clumsy creatures, the humans, they have electricity and if you know how it works, you can do very interesting things. They even put it in musical instruments, and believe me it’s worth it.”  
“How do you know all this stuff?”  
“I read a lot. And we have a large database.”  
“I guess reading is really useful.”  
“True, it helps a lot with my experiments. I have made a few contraptions on my own.”  
“Nice. Is it part of your work here?”  
“Not exactly. My work is clearly specific. I manage to repair the spacecraft nearly as fast as Eleya breaks it, but I am behind on the other damages, she had made around the base.”  
Ky’ron grinned, “I know, the roof.”  
“That’s just recent, I still have to repair a food synthesizer, the medical robot also broke, but I need parts for it and they’re hard to get. And I have to figure out why the lighting on the top floor of the girl’s dorm isn’t working.”  
“There aren’t many girls here in this base”, said Ky’ron after a pause while they were replaying a piece.  
“No. They’re just seven and two of them are a couple. And only three Gelfling.” He sighed, “But there’s no difference as if they were hundreds. I suck with girls anyway.”  
“Come on, it couldn’t be that bad.”  
“Think again? I once told a girl that if we were the last Gelfling on Thra, I would be happy to repopulate it with her.”  
“You didn’t!” Ky’ron slapped his hands on the ground and stared to his companion. Then slowly started shaking, and his snicker turned to an uncontrollable neighing.  
“We were alone in a room and I wanted to compliment her. Just break the awkward silence”, Mordel justified himself.  
Ky’ron had to wipe the tears in his eyes before he could speak, “Yeah, that wasn’t awkward at all.” And then laughed anew.  
When he calmed down, he asked:  
“Do you still go there, by the fire?”  
Mordel nodded with a soft smile, “It’s nice sometimes.”  
They played for indefinite amount of time until a lad from the ground crew came to get Ky’ron, as if he was supposed to be somewhere else the whole time.  
After he went out of the building a person in the distance caught his attention. Eleya was walking by the forest, passing her hand through the leaves of the thicket and although she was alone, her lips were moving as she was speaking. Is she talking to the leaves? Ky’ron stood and watched her under a shower of persuasion words, commands and pressing for, that he neither hear nor notice.  
She’s singing. It struck him with delight and brought a smile on his face. Also made his feet move at her direction. Yet he was restrained by a pair of stubborn hands and decided not to resort in physical confrontation, instead to address his assignment.  
Eleya took a turn for the hangar. Ahead, Vhied walked upon her. They stopped, facing each other. Eleya chuckled. Vhied smiled and said:  
“I’ll be leaving tonight, but be sure to be coming back. Soon.”  
She nodded with intense and chuckle, peeking at him. In a twinkle, she jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him for a few breaths, then let go of him and, with hands pressed to her stomach, inched back. He, on the other hand, gave her a warm smile, cupped her face and held her tightly in his arms for enough time for her to relax her head on his shoulder, close her eyes and forget the whole other world. He listened to her breathing and dwelled in daydreams.  
Undefined time later they locked sight again, in silence, sharing a smile. He took of the medallion from his neck and placed it in her palms, gently closing them with his hands. She gasped, her hands flickered uncoordinated and she exclaimed:  
“But this is the one you love the most. It’s the most important to you...”  
He interrupted her:  
“That’s why I want you to have it.”

Ky’ron was proud of his remarkable sword fighting abilities which he was told were of no use from no on. Having blasters in disposition made sword attack and defense utterly impractical and concerning lightsabers, he was advised not to waste his thoughts on.   
Therefore he was assigned to train blaster shooting with the other new recruits. They gave him an old blaster pistol with a stun setting and alongside brief instructions, he was sent away in the woods to practice. He engaged with curiosity in studying the new toy, turned off the stunning mode and enjoyed the bursting effect it created. In short amount of time he achieved good results in aiming, lost interest and returned to the base only to be sent again on the roof.   
Repairing was carried out painfully slowly, not only for the reason, that he used the opportunity to watch around, but mainly given the fact of lacking general agreement on what and how should be done in the matter of construction. Ky’ron perceived with delight two beautiful Silverling ladies crossing the glen in meandering line around the craters from the recent attack. Their chirping talk and giggle tickled his ears. From behind the hangar came out the Vapran pilot and called at the girls. Eleya stopped, Tami lowered her pace and stood a few steps from her friend. The ladies exchanged several short words and Eleya followed the pilot in the main building.  
Ky’ron explained the sudden urge to educate in the written language, so he excused himself and went down showered with outcries of objection, complaint and a few curses.  
At the ground floor he saw Vhied and both bid their hellos. The Sifan pilot then turned to Ky’ron:  
“I’m leaving now, but I want to ask you something.” He looked sideways for a huff of breath. “Take care of Eleya for me, could you? She needs it, even if she wouldn’t admit it.”  
Ky’ron was utterly surprised of that plea, but nodded with affirmation.  
“Alright.”  
“Until we meet again, my friend,” they exchanged a wrist clasp.  
“Until we meet again.”


	7. Nonfunctional

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girl is in trouble so the boy definitely gets in trouble also.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since there are many characters, here’s a list:  
> Ky’ron - Stonewood boy  
> Eleya - Vapran pilot girl  
> Gueedri - Vapran pilot  
> Chani - Stonewood girl, part of the land crew in the base  
> Mordel - Grottan mechanic, part of the land crew  
> Faolan - Spriton mechanic   
> General Kedial - commanding officer of the rebel base

Behind the stained glass with inscriptions and charts illuminated in blue Ky’ron saw Eleya and Gueedri facing each other. He was talking, she stood silent, looking down. His body stood firm, still, numb and lofty. His cold face spilled word after word, while her ears drooped and her shoulders slouched, and her body shrunk. Anger took over his mind and flesh and Ky’ron peeked through a gap in the old sliding door. Gueedri’s voice echoed with exasperation in the small premises.  
“How could you do that, Eleya? Have you no respect for anything? This is way too much and it stops now!”  
She grasped him by the arm and tried to stop him leave. He was looking down on her with squinted eyes, his chin held high. His jaw stiff. His straight fair hair with pale red streaks fell on his shoulders like a mane.   
“No, please, don’t do it, I beg you!”, she cried stepping in front of him. “It won’t happen again. I pledge an oath I will not do that again!”  
Gueedri scoffed:  
“Don’t bother, I don’t believe you. Do you even believe yourself to vow like that? I’m sure you don’t, you’re not stupid. Neither am I”, he moved aside and walked ahead but she stood in his way again, her arms placed on his chest, with eyes full of tears and petty.  
“Please?”  
“Do not even think of manipulating me like this! You have to learn to do the right thing. You have to face the consequences of your actions. It’s not such a big deal, it won’t kill you. Why do you want to fly anyway? You have to reconsider it. Besides, I always thought your strength lies elsewhere. What do you seek to prove with this flying?”  
She stepped away, her head dropped down. She uttered in a brittle voice:  
“I don’t want to prove anything, I like to fly.”  
“This is not a game. The stakes here are in the value of lives, many lives, could you risk that? There are other ways you could be useful. “, his fingers passed through a strand of hair, fringing her face. His thin lips curved into a half smile. She twitched her head and slammed his hand.  
Her eyes were glittering, but her lips were stiff.   
Ky’ron’s deep thick voice split their fixed sights:  
“That’s enough! Give her a break, already.”  
Eleya turned to him and pleated with an outstretched hand:  
“Ky’ron, please, don’t get into trouble for me.”  
He smiled at her with “It’s alright, I don’t mind”’ and stepped in front of Gueedri, holding steady eye contact and exchanging a smirk with him. They were lurking at each other, their sights at the same level.  
Eleya took the moment to run away.  
Gueedri hissed through a sly smile:  
“It’s not wise to make conclusions when you don’t see the whole picture. But then, wisdom is not something that comes naturally to you, Stonewood.”  
“So you’re wise enough to harass someone defenseless, Vapran?”  
“Minding your own business isn’t your thing apparently.”  
“Let’s settle this in a civilized manner. I challenge you. You name the trial.”, stated Ky’ron.  
“Duels are not welcomed around here, new recruit. We’re not supposed to be fighting with each other when we have an enemy.”  
“Are you supposed to be mean to each other when we all do what we can and nobody’s perfect? Is that it, or you’re just trying to escape?”  
Gueedri scoffed.  
“Alright, I’ll fight you. But this would make it worse, for her. Mind my words”, he paused, making a few steps around Ky’ron. “The game is called labyrinth, Jesby will tell you the rules. Tonight, behind the hangar. Watch the moons. When the forth shows on the horizon, come alone and bring a sword, one with a blade, not a lightsaber.”  
“Done.”  
“Now, go after her! You stood up for her, now, go get your prize!”  
“You’re asking for it!”, mumbled Ky’ron as he aimed for Gueedri’s chin, holding in mind that one mustn’t fight when angry, and his attack was blocked. An expected counterstrike on his way, Ky’ron managed to escape and use to unbalance his opponent. Yet Gueedri twisted and grasped the nearest part of the Stonewood’s body and both, stuck in a tight grip, thumped to the ground. Clenched to each other, neither releasing the grasp, they exchanged a sneer.  
Gueedri spoke first, snickering: “Later?”  
“Later”, affirmed Ky’ron.  
They parted opposite ways. Ky’ron headed outside to the forest, as he remembered that saw Eleya fleeting to the exit, while he was falling down in Gueedri’s clutch.  
“Hey, new guy?”, he heard from behind and chose to pretend he didn’t.  
“Gelfling? Long brown hair? Tattered clothes?”  
Ky’ron turned and shouted back with indignation in his tone:  
“My clothes are not tattered”, and stomped towards this lad from the land crew, he didn’t recognize. “What is it?”  
“Hey, d’you have green in your hair? Is that normal?”  
“Have you seen Eleya, by chance?”  
“What’s with your mouth?”  
“How long are we doing this?”, grumbled Ky’ron emphasizing his annoy, and checked with fingertips to discover a split lip, that stained his fingers in bright red. He recalled that he received a knee in the face, while he was punching Gueedri at his ribs. He licked the blood from his mouth and speaked again.  
“Fine now. Eleya?”  
“No. Why do you ask? You’re needed in the kitchen. Come on, leave Eleya.”  
“Umm, could you just cover me for a second, I’ll be right back.”  
“Get going. Kitchen.”  
Inside, Ky’ron got his assignment and asked for Eleya. He did some errands, but took an opportunity to sneak out and went to Mordel, who was in his workshop with Faolan, the Spriton mechanic. Ky’ron explained the event with worried tone and received from his friends blank faces with perceivable disregard. Mordel stated:  
“Ky’ron, Eleya is a woman, not a childling...”  
“A very beautiful woman!”, interrupted Faolan.  
“Gueedri being mean to her is nothing new. He’s mean by birthright. And Eleya being treated unjustly is also a very frequent occurrence”, highlighted Mordel.  
“What’s with you guys?”, exclaimed Ky’ron, swaying hands in the air and left the room.  
He found Chani at the navigation office. She was more eager to help as she directed him to find Tami.  
No matter how hard he fought to get away, eventually he was sent on the roof where he was stuck for a few hours. From the height of the building at least he was able to locate Tami and when the group called for a break, he went down and headed for Eleya’s friend.   
“Ky’ron?”, an hesitant voice came from behind. This crew member at least knew his name.  
The Gelfling clenched his fists and turned sharply.  
“What now?”  
“You’re requested at the general’s office.”  
‘Fuck’, he said that only in his mind.  
Thanks to his reading teacher, he oriented precisely to the general’s cabinet, much to his guide’s wonderment.  
General Kedial was standing, his stretched hands leaning to the desk.  
Ky’ron entered, approached and placed his hands on the desk also. He started:  
“General, I...”  
“Ky’ron. Shut up.”, the general’s voice was flat, calm and cold as a high mountain lake. “Have you been fighting?”  
“Ugh, no. That’s...that was just a friendly conversation. But, I have to tell you...”  
“Shut. Up. Ky’ron.”, he paused. “Listen to me very well. You have to learn to control your temper. This is unacceptable here. Rivalry is out of the question, since we’re all in the same shit, don’t you think?”  
“Gueedri was acting intolerably...”  
The general’s fist slowly clenched. His voice raised just a tad.  
“This is exactly what I meant. You have to control your temper.”, he repeated with a slightly perceptible note of irritation. Then took a deep breath and continued:  
“Look. You definitely have a place among us. Don’t blow it out. Be mindful.”  
Ky’ron paused to be certain the rant had finished, then talked:  
“Permission to speak?”, after receiving the affirmative nod, he stated:  
“I am concerned about Eleya. I think she’s in distress, but I cannot find her all day.”  
“Is that so?”  
The general called for Eleya on the communicator. There was beyond doubt a surprise in his words: “How come she’s not here?”  
He instructed Ky’ron to stay and left. But it wasn’t long until he returned, sat on the chair behind the desk and made himself comfortable, while checking on the screens.  
Ky’ron had to speak:  
“There’s one more thing, if I may?”  
The general looked at him, questioning. Ky’ron went on:  
“Have you taken into consideration the matter of my home planet?”  
“I’m sorry, there’s nothing we can do about it. The Republic has too much on it’s own right now.”  
“But there will be no one left later. They’re killing my people, one by one, at the very moment as we speak!”  
“The Empire had already laid hands upon your planet. It is a matter of a serious battle the Alliance cannot afford at this stage.”  
“I cannot believe there isn’t a single thing anyone can do!”  
“I’m sorry, Ky’ron. We all lost our homes, and we’re fighting for them, one conflict at a time”, said the general and turned into his screens.  
Ky’ron clenched teeth in silence. He felt this battle was as lost as the one he left on Thra. Suppressing his annoy, he pondered whether he was supposed to stay or leave, to speak, or keep the silence, and opted to do nothing, just in case.  
“How’s your reading?”, the general asked without facing him. Ky’ron thought he caught a smile, but before he could think of a proper answer, the door slid and Eleya slowly walked in with uncertainty in every fiber of her shrunk body. The boy looked over the fair girl and remarked that her eyes were red, as well as her tiny snub nose.  
“Eleya, you’re here. Good.”, the general eyed Ky’ron before he continued. “You’re going on a mission, together. Nothing spectacular, Eleya has done this one many times. It generally is identical: you sneak into an imperial base, download the logs we need and get back. Same entrance, same itinerary, same operation. Easy as fuck.”  
Ky’ron used the pause to take the word:  
“With all do respect, General, you described the perfect setting for a trap.”  
“Ky’ron, what did I just talked to you about?”, and he paused, to ensure there’d be no more interruptions. Eleya looked at the Stonewood with suspicion, and at his face with query, and at his mouth with alertness.  
“The mission is set in a few days. Prepare.”  
They both turned to exit and glanced at each other.  
“Eleya, stay.”, the flat voice stopped her and she bid Ky’ron an inaudible goodbye.  
The general stood from his desk and approached the girl who had to take her eyes of the ground.  
“Eleya, before you came into this base, the word trouble meant only a slight inconvenience. Since then you had expanded the meaning to an immeasurable value. What am I to do with you? There’s always someone at my office with your name. Today, that new guy, Ky’ron, coming here and asking for you. Should I question whether the fight he had gotten into was about you? Better not, am I right?”  
He paused and neared more, then, with a light touch, raised her chin as her sight was again eluding him.  
“Eleya, if I hear one more issue, containing your name, you’re off missions. I still hope there won’t be a need of expelling. Whatever you’re doing, better stop.”  
“But, I’m not doing anything”, she tried to speak with a calm voice, but it failed her so she sounded more like wheezing. “I don’t have any other home right now. If I had, I would leave.”  
“I don’t want you to leave, let me be clear about that. You’re helpful and valuable. But I want you to stay away from the boys. You’re making them nonfunctional.”  
And after a short pause, he added:  
“That’s all.”  
She went for the door, but lingered with hesitation.  
“Is there anything else?”, the general asked.  
“I was wondering...has Gueedri spoken to you?”  
“What is he to speak about?”, he made a step towards her. “Is there something you want to tell me?”  
She bit her lip.  
“He has spoken to Tami about a mission, to the Tabith system. Is that happening?”  
“And how is that of your concern?”  
“She is upset about it and I wanted to ask to go in her place.”  
“Yes, that mission is planned, and, no, you cannot take her place. She’ll do fine. Is that all?”  
Eleya nodded.

Ky’ron waited steady in front of the door. He was being called again for training, though he refused to leave his place to the extent of physical confrontation threatening. When Eleya came out, he went right after her, with concern:  
“Eleya, what happened, are you alright?”  
She walked ahead through the hallway and uttered quietly:  
“Yes, I’m fine.”  
He stood in front of her to stop her pace and looked steady in her eyes. He also gently put his hands on her shoulders and covered them with palms.  
“Come on. You can tell me”, he said with a smile.  
She was looking sideways, so he added:  
“You look like you could use a hug.”  
Her eyelids fluttered. He could wager, she would have bursted in tears, instead he witnessed her saying with the thin and weak voice of a child:  
“I am alright. Really. I have to go now. Thank you for your concern.”  
And she left him with that.


	8. Idiot part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where is she? And why not play labyrinth?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters list  
> Ky’ron - Stonewood boy, the new recruit   
> Eleya - Vapran pilot girl  
> Tami - Vapran girl, Eleya's friend   
> Chani - Stonewood girl, part of the rebel crew  
> Jesby - rebel pilot  
> Gueedri - Vapran rebel pilot

At the afternoon Ky’ron went for training with the new recruits. After showing them fighting techniques he asked them to perform the movement against him. While he was explaining, his mind was set on scanning around. He received multiple hits from different limbs, even a few heads as he was watching closely the area around. At some point he noticed Tami in the distance and left the trainees. He gained upon her right before she entered the main building.  
“Tami, wait!”, he paused to catch his breath and continued, panting. “Hello, Tami. It’s Tami, right? I’m Ky’ron. We haven’t been introduced. Anyway. Have you seen Eleya?”  
Tami inched a step away from him and answered:  
“No, I haven’t seen her since the morning.”  
“Oh, fuck. Ugh, excuse me. Do you know where she might be? I’m worried about her.”  
“Well...she could be anywhere...really. Why, what happened?”  
“First that Vapran dumbass shouted at her, then we had a conversation with the general, I mean, she had conversation with him, alone.”  
“And you’re worried because...?”  
“I think she’s in distress, she’s definitely upset, I just wanna make sure she’s alright, that’s all. But I can’t find her.”  
“Look, it’s not entirely unusual for her to...”  
“What, be shouted at? Yeah, I got that already.”  
“No, I was meaning to say to disappear for a while. She does that, from time to time. And she gets back, afterwards.”  
“And you don’t worry if she might be in trouble or in need of something?”  
“Ky’ron, it’s not that I don’t care about her but she’s always in trouble and most of the time, there’s nothing I can do about it. She eventually comes to me, at the end of the day. We share a room and a close friendship. And you have to know, she does need a great deal of alone time.”  
Ky’ron paused a bit, as the internal battle of thoughts and feelings took over his mind.   
“Very good. I hear what you’re saying. I just hope you’re right”, he said with a frowned face. 

Shooting in the forest did not have a calming effect on his thoughts. He aimed at a tree’s trunk, blasted it until it was all shattered in fragments, then fired the branches of the the falling crown as far as there was nothing left but leaves and splinters. Some of the new recruits expressed doubt that this was the way they’re supposed to use a blaster.  
When he didn’t see Eleya on the preparation for dinner he went again to talk to Chani.  
“If Eleya has an issue, she goes to Tami.”  
“Tami hasn’t seen her all day.”  
“Then maybe really there is something. Come, let’s talk to her.”  
Having Ky’ron questioning again, accompanied by Chani, made Tami flicker her hands, dart her sight and added stutter to her peculiar articulation. As talking simultaneously didn’t give any solution, the three of them went to Jesby. The conversation with him carried out long, painful but polite and after all they convinced him to go out and look for her. The only sun was heading to a set.  
They flew around with Jesby’s fighter, covering all the woodland area and landed at the end of the forest. Tami guided them to a place where, according to her words, both with Eleya like to retreat. While they decided how to separate and search by foot in the woods, Ky’ron caught the soft tinkling sound and followed it’s direction.  
The sound lead him by the border of the forest, where the thicket turned into low vegetation, grass and dry soil. The trees were trying to advance to the plains here and there. Behind a large tree, covered in meandering vines, a gray shape was showing, and beside it, a small figure with long white braid. Eleya was facing a small star fighter. In her right hand she held a cloth bag and from her left hung on it’s thin chain an unamoth necklace. Ky’ron was certain he had seen this trinket before, yet his mind was searching for the most gentle way to approach. The girl stood frozen while Ky’ron walked slowly. He watched her from a distance. All of a sudden she made a slow movement towards the stepping foot of the starship. Her hand pressed a hidden switch and the cockpit cover opened. She threw her bag upwards, it slid on the ship’s hull and slumped on the floor. She just stood. Not a fibre of her flesh did not move. And in few breathings away Eleya’s body slouched down on her knees as if something took the life out of it. Slowly, she raised the necklace to her sight and then held it towards her chest. Her head drooped down. That’s when Ky’ron made the last few steps towards her, kneeled behind her back and wrapped his hands around her shoulders, trying to apply as little pressure as possible and at the same time enough to hold her firmly. He gently laid his head onto hers, closing his eyes. And spoke:  
“Don’t go. Please.” Then made a pause and continued:  
“I really need to learn to read. I accidentally missed the storage with a lady’s room. There is a girl now who thinks I’m an idiot.”  
Eleya grinned in her tears.  
“I couldn’t do it anyway”, she muttered half crying, half laughing, fully confused. Then turned around to meet his face.  
“I told you you needed a hug”, Ky’ron cupped her face, steady smiling. Eleya tried to smile also:  
“I can help you with the reading, but on the idiot part, it’s all on you.” They both grinned.  
“Let me take you back”, he said softly and placed an arm on her shoulders, gently leading her to Jesby’s starship.  
She made a few steps and stopped.  
“Ky’ron?”, she hesitated. “Can I ask you...?”  
“Let me guess. Not a word about it?”  
She chuckled.  
“At least I know that lesson”, added Ky’ron and gave a gleeful vocal chortle.

“So you found her”, exclaimed Jesby as he came out broom behind a tree. “And she’s alright, I suppose.”  
He neared to her face with “You got us worried, beautiful. But mostly him”, and nodded towards Ky’ron.  
“What...?”, asked Eleya.  
Tami hopped, hugged her and held her by the hand. Chani also came around. Eleya asked with quiet voice:  
“What is happening here?”  
Jesby smiled and nudged Ky’ron with an elbow:  
“This guy here was very concerned about your wellbeing. He was asking for you all day and he wouldn’t calm down until we went out searching for you.”  
Eleya looked at the Stonewood with genuine surprise but couldn’t keep her eyes settled and lowered her gaze down. Her hands were wrapping around and she uttered each word with a pause:  
“You were worried about me...? But... I’m alright. You...shouldn’t bother all of you. Yourself too.”  
Jesby added:  
“It is always a pleasure to do it for you.”  
Ky’ron scratched the back of his head and continued:  
‘‘I hope you’re alright then.”  
“Yes”, she nodded. Her eyes were clear, pale blue, wet, slowly peeking at each of the faces that had encapsulated her in attention.  
Jesby suggested to return to the base and they headed to the ship, with Tami and Eleya walking ahead. Eleya glanced at Ky’ron and asked softly:  
“Uhm, Ky’ron? What happened to your mouth?”  
He froze. But took a breath.  
“Thaat’s...part of the..training process.”  
The nudge of Jesby in the ribs this time felt like a kick of a landstrider.  
“Uh, Ky’ron? It’s better if she learns it from you.”  
“Learn what?”, Eleya’s mellow voice had a slight but distinctive note of sharpness.  
Ky’ron scratched, and stepped from one foot to another, and gulped, and then spoke:  
“I had a disagreement with that Vapran...”  
“Gueedri”, served Jesby.  
“Yes, and we arranged to sport a game...”  
“What game?”, Eleya’s eyes had already pierced his head, yet still she did not even blink, staring at him calm, persistent, luring.  
Ky’ron moved a step back, more so.  
“He called it something like maze.”  
“Labyrinth”, added Jesby.  
“No!”, her scream petrified all of her companions. “You should not do it! For Thra’s sake, you mustn’t do it. Please, promise me you won’t go!”  
“But why, it’s just a game?”, Ky’ron chuckled nervously.  
“It’s not a game, it’s a butchery.”  
“But Jesby explained me the rules. It’s not a big deal.”  
“No one can beat Gueedri on this game.”  
“That’s just another reason for me to go.”  
“You don’t understand. He invented that game. You cannot trust him. He’ll swindle you and you’ll be sorry for this. Promise me you won’t go. I beg you.”  
“Uh, I can’t.”  
She stepped in front of him, one palm on his chest, her rounded eyes locked to his face.   
“Please.”  
He gazed around for solution but did not find it neither in the darkness, nor in the ship behind them, nor in the Jesby’s obliging face. Everywhere he directed his sight, it came back to the sparkling blue high mountain lakes of Ha’rar. Her voice came like a cold whiff, silky, yet indulging, honey sweet, soaking through his flesh, enclosing his soul:  
“Please?”  
Ky’ron knew he used to have a willpower, yet it was nowhere to be found in the void of his head.  
“Alright”, he sighed. The Silverling woman walked aside, not without granting him a smile.  
On the flight back Ky’ron found an admirable amount of ways to tie the straps of his jacket, but not a single believable excuse to skip dinner. Among the chatter of Jesby and the girls, he took a few peeks at Eleya and every time it was to meet her eyes, observing him.  
Having arrived back at the base each of them found differing explanation to the urge to be somewhere and they all parted. Ky’ron went at the kitchen where he nearly shocked the cook with offering help. After reassuring that he was in good health and disposition and hitting his head in training didn’t affected him, he received a task and engaged with it as it gave him a preoccupation while waiting for the correct space object to show.   
Late at the evening, with the dinner finished and the last inhabitant having completed their chore, Ky’ron prepared his sword and a piece of fabric, he ripped off the curtain beside his hammock. When he went out to check the skies again, the air was filled with revelry and smoke, but in the horizon, over the crowns of the trees a piece of pale brownish circle had emerged. Ky’ron took his weapon and circled around the main building from behind, looking around and above to make sure, he isn’t followed.   
Gueedri was not behind the hangar, but came in a short amount of time. He looked over his opponent and leaded him through the dark forest without a word. The moonlight shone through the canopy in thick sheafs. Except the pale spots it created, everything else was black. A strong rustling sound filled the darkness. The air was chill and carried dense moisture.   
They walked until they reached an open space in the middle of the forest, wide enough to a star fighter to land. It had an uneven surface with boulders, covered in moss.  
Gueedri stopped in the middle of the glen and turned. Ky’ron talked first:  
“Look, I know you’re about to say that I’m a coward, and I don’t care, but I resign on my challenge. You can claim yourself a winner and you can molest me the way you like.”  
Gueedri’s cold face was smiling.   
“Well, what do you know, the Stonewood had a sudden rush of wisdom. And what did provoke that unexpected change of tides, if I may ask?”  
“Let’s just say I don’t want to cause any trouble”, Ky’ron also smirked. They walked in a circle, lurking. Gueedri declared:  
“Well, I give up on my provocation. We’re even. You can call me a pussy.”  
“And why is that?”  
“Let’s just say that I don’t want to cause trouble to anyone else but you. And that happens to be impossible.”  
“Did Eleya talk you out of this?”  
“No. It’s a personal choice. Perhaps your decision has anything to do with her?”  
“No”, Ky’ron paused. “Such a pitty. The game seems quite interesting”, said he as he swayed his sword in the air drawing the shape of eight.   
Gueedri scoffed.  
“Indeed it is”, and he cut the air with one sharp diagonal move of his blade. “Perhaps a training with physical purpose wouldn’t hurt anyone.” And he tied a piece of fabric on his eyes.  
“Yeah, just for the sport”, Ky’ron’s smile widened while he tied the cloth he had prepared. He positioned his body with slightly bent knees, the sword gripped with both hands, pointing upwards and ahead. He recalled in his memory the placement of the biggest boulders around the meadow, at the same time he tried if the moss beneath his feet was slippery, trying to detect every the sound of Gueedri’s movements. Among all the buzzing noise of the thicket his breathing was unrecognizable, but that pilot’s uniform had a sharp sound when the fabric was folding. Gueedri spoke:  
“As you’re a newbie, I am giving you the advantage and I’m starting first”, while he talked Ky’ron heard that the sound of his voice was moving to his left. The Vapran added:   
“If I was a critter, I would be a pluff’m”, while listening to the words, Ky’ron could determine his position and distance so he swung his blade towards him. His hit was blocked and he nearly fell, stumbling on the bumpy ground. Regaining balance, he stepped backwards, lifting his feet high and placing them carefully on the surface, to make as little noise as possible. While moving away, he shot, articulating with swiftness:  
“If I was an insect, I would be an Ipsy”, and he was already holding his sword in a defense position, when he heard advancing steps and the clicking noise of colliding blades matched the heavy push his hands, holding the grip of the sword, withstood. Ky’ron pushed his sword out of the way and advanced forward in careful steps. A sudden acute sound drew his attention to his left. He pointed his sword to the same direction. Too sharp to be a step, this is a diversion, thought Ky’ron. And he heard Gueedri’s speech and stepping from his right side, tried to turn and stumbled ahead.  
“If I was a digger, I would be a Moog.”  
“Does that even exist?”, Ky’ron heard himself utter this and immediately tripped, plunked on the ground on his stomach, his sword jangled on the stones and he heard Gueedri’s hissing words:  
“Now I got you!”  
“No, you don’t!”, a high pitched scream split the momentum with a swoosh in the air, a thumping sound just near his body and a fresh gust on his skin. Ky’ron recognized with contentment this timbre, although the note of infuriation was new to him. He laid on his back and took off the band from his eyes to the bathed in tender moonlight view of long intertwined braids, sparkling wings and two thin legs outstretched over his body. Gueedri’s blade was stuck in a stick that Eleya was holding vertically to her left side. The Vapran pilot tossed his sword and took off his bandage, shouting:  
“Are you out of your mind, I could have slaughtered you!?”  
“You could have slaughtered him! What’s the matter with you? Don’t you have any reasoning?”, Eleya shouted back. Ky’ron lifted on his elbows, crawled backwards from between her legs and intervened, still lying on the ground with a wide smile plastered on his face:  
“We were just playing, Eleya. Don’t take it out on him.”  
She turned at his direction. The pale light caressed her face, her lips were pouting but her eyes were gentle. She stepped aside and stretched a hand at him. Ky’ron gladly took it and she pulled him up. She turned to Gueedri then:  
“You always have to win, don’t you? You think that if you make the rules you can change them as you go?”  
“Wait, what are you talking about”, the Vapran stuttered, but she moved her sight to the Stonewood and demanded:  
“Could you please not fight for me again? This time, like, really?”  
Ky’ron meant to apologize and wanted to explain, but all he manage was to mumble as she turned her back, swaying her braids, leaped a few graceful hops and launched into the air. Her fluttering wings sparkled until she disappeared behind the trees. Ky’ron then checked his foe who was still gazing at the distance. When their eyes met, Gueedri smiled without ill will and Ky’ron grinned, running hands through his hair.

The main hall was as quiet as it could be. There was beeping, and rustling, and low mechanical sound, even snoring, just enough for a cautious stepping to pass unnoticed. Eleya looked around before crossing the hall. She reached the navigation room and made sure the door is closed behind her.  
She slouched in a chair and laid her head on the board. Her fingers tapped slowly on the keyboard that responded in enlightening her fingertips in blue.  
She brought to her mind the itinerary of the safe transmission of information and set her thinking on the reasonable time estimation for the message to arrive. She should not expect less than many days.  
Through a secure channel, an encrypted message was sent. ‘Help me, friend. I need you.’  
Eleya rested on the floor and watched the screens until she fell asleep.


End file.
